Simple, Complicated (Robert Chase x OC)
by emmapurr
Summary: Eliza was a struggling med student. On top of her increasing amount of work, Doctor House has taken a particular interest in her and asks her to work for his team. However, Doctor House isn't the only one affected by Eliza's presence, Doctor Robert Chase growing rather fond of Eliza as well...
1. Chapter 1

"Okay, I'll need you to sign this, initial this, and then sign down here," I said, handing a clipboard to the waiting woman.

"Eliza! We need you in room two!" A nurse called, rushing a patient down the hallway.

"Excuse me," I murmured to the woman as I rushed to the room to see what the problem was.

I pushed open the door to see a man lying on the exam table, blood flowing out of wounds on his legs and stomach.

"What happened?" I said, pulling out my light and shining it into his eyes, which were clouded over.

"Stab victim," a nurse stated, grabbing something to try and stop the bleeding.

"He's loosing too much blood, we need to stich him up and get him a transfusion."

I ran over to the cabinet and grabbed the necessary materials for stitching up the man. I threaded the needle and began to stitch up the wounds, asking the nurse to hold the man down as he thrashed around. Suddenly, the man thrashed violently and the monitors went wild.

"He's going into cardiac arrest! Get the paddles!" I shouted, ripping open the man's shirt.

The nurse passed me the paddles and I slapped them onto his chest, "Clear!"

The man jerked and laid still, "Clear!"

The monitors began to beep again, signaling that his heart rate was moving towards a normal rate. I sighed in relief as I removed the paddles and placed them on the table.

"Take him to the second floor," I said, pushing some hair that had fallen out of my ponytail behind my ears.

The nurse nodded and wheeled the man out of the room. I leaned against the counter and took a deep breath; another close call. I groaned when I saw the blood splattered over my scrubs, signifying that I'd have to change.

I knew there were patients that needed help, so with a push, I heaved myself off the counter and out of the room towards the lockers. Once I was inside, I grabbed a new pair of scrubs and began to change.

"Eliza Holland?" A voice shouted as I jumped, instantly covering my torso with my shirt.

A man with a serious limp hobbled into the locker room and straight in front of me.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" I snapped, my face reddening at the fact I was only in my bra.

"What did you study in med school?" He asked, sitting down on the bench.

"What?" I asked, clearly not hearing him correctly.

"What. Did. You. Study? Jesus it's not that difficult."

"Oncology, why?" I asked, narrowing my eyes at him.

"I need you upstairs in my office."

"Why?" I questioned.

"Wow you're annoying," he replied. "10 minutes, I'll race you there."

He stood up suddenly and limped out of the room, leaving me confused. _Who the hell was that?_

I pulled my shirt over my head and shut my locker with a groan. Now I had to go find the office of a man I had never seen.

"Did you see a man walk out of here a few minutes ago?" I asked a nurse after I had left the room.

"The one with a limp? Yeah, that's House," she replied.

"House? Where's his office?"

"Third floor, end of the hall. Why are you going up there anyways?" She asked.

"He requested my presence," I said with a shrug.

I waved and walked towards the elevator, going up to the third floor. I never really ventured to the third floor; I was mainly in the ER. I stepped out of the elevator and walked down the hallway. I walked past a glass office, but backtracked when I saw House talking to a group of people.

I tucked my hair behind my ears before taking a deep breath and entering the room. I was met with four pairs of eyes staring at me, one pair narrowing as I walked toward the table.

"Well look who decided to show up," House seethed, "Took you long enough."

I narrowed my eyes and moved to stand in front of him. "I'm here, what do you want?"

"You treated my patient three days ago and I need to know what symptoms he came in with," House asked.

"I treat a lot of patients everyday. What was his name?" I asked, trying to keep the annoyance out of my voice.

"Martin Rochester, mid-forties, tall with black hair," a woman spoke up from the table.

"He came in with chest pain and tingling in his legs," I replied, pushing off against the counter. "Can I go now?"

"Not yet. He's dying."

"Dying?" I asked in disbelief, "He was completely fine when he left."

"Well apparently you were wrong to let him go," he snapped. "Now leave, I'm done with you."

I gave him a questioning look, but left the room to return to the ER downstairs. I could hear House barking orders as I walked down the hallway. _God it would be terrible to have him as a boss._

"He's not always so bad," a man with a thick Australian accent suddenly said next to me.

"Jesus," I gasped, putting my hand to my chest, "You scared me."

"Sorry about that," he said slowly, his mouth dropping into a frown.

I glanced at the man standing next to me; he had piercing blue eyes, shaggy blond hair, and he was much taller than my height of 5' 4".

"He's not always so bad? Working with him seems like hell," I stated once I regained my breath and averted my eyes back to the floor.

"He has his moments…" He trailed off, lost in thought. "So what do you do?" He asked, suddenly changing the subject.

I pressed the down button on the elevator and turned to face him, "At the moment? Residency. I'm on ER duty for awhile."

"Residency? What are you specializing in?" He piqued.

"Oncology."

"Wow that is very specific," he said with a hint of amusement. "So how many more years have you got to go?"

"Hopefully not too many, but we'll see what happens," I said before stepping into the newly arrived elevator. "It was nice talking to you Doctor…"

"Chase, Robert Chase."

"Doctor Chase, I'm Eliza," I said with a smile before the doors closed.

 _Wow._

"So how was it today?" Emily asked once I shrugged my jacket off and threw my keys on the counter.

I grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge and plopped down on the couch with a groan. "Exhausting. Two stab victims, four broken arms, one heart attack, and one ruptured spleen. Just a regular day at the ER," I joked.

She moved from her desk to the couch, a glass of wine in her hand, "Today was pretty average for me."

"Really?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Nothing goes on at the OBGYN," she chuckled, taking a sip of her wine.

Emily was a med student, like myself. We graduated from the University of Michigan together, and struggled through med school at UC San Francisco, and now we were working through our residencies. Emily was planning to go into immunology, but her mind was always changing, which is why I was so surprised when she told me she wanted to be a doctor.

"Sometimes, I wish my job was more boring," I sighed. "I did meet someone interesting though, a Doctor House."

"You met House?" She sputtered, her eyes widening. "How was it? Was he a complete ass?"

I turned to face her, tucking my legs underneath me, "You know House?"

"I know of him," she clarified, "You know how those nurses love to gossip."

I nodded and rested my head on my knees, my eyes flickering to the muted TV in front of us. This week had been incredibly long with my odd ER hours and various seminars I had to attend. Tomorrow was Friday and a couple of nurses and I were going out for drinks after our shift was over. It was the first time in awhile I was going out and I was excited.

My eyelids began to droop as I leaned back into the couch. My mind drifted to the events of today, starting with House and ending with… Chase.


	2. Chapter 2

"Are you sure it looks okay?" I asked Emily, who was currently sitting on my bed laughing as I spun around and looked at myself in the mirror.

"For the hundredth time, yes! You look hot."

I sighed in exasperation and surveyed my outfit. It was pretty simple, a floral crop top, and a black skirt that was so tight and short I thought I would burst out of it at any moment. I pulled my hair out of my ponytail, finally letting my brown hair fall in its natural waves.

"Okay, you look great now let's go, booze awaits!" Emily practically yelled as she shot of my bed and into the hallway.

The bar we were going to wasn't too far from out apartment, which was good because I didn't bring a jacket and it was October in New Jersey. As we walked, I noticed shop windows were decorated with bats and ghosts for Halloween. I smiled to myself, remembering the fun Emily and I had last Halloween.

We arrived moments later to a very loud and crowded bar, no doubt filled with hospital staff enjoying their Friday night. I spotted Gretchen, an ER nurse, huddled with several other women, so I grabbed Emily's hand and pulled her over.

"Hey guys," I greeted, tucking my hair behind my ear, a nervous habit I picked up when I was younger.

"It's about time you made it," Gretchen smiled, pulling me in for a hug, "We were starting to think you weren't going to show."

"Well I'm here and ready to drink," I grinned.

"Oh, before I get too drunk, this is Stacy, Caroline, Katie, and Jamie," Gretchen stated, gesturing to the other women crowded around our small table. "Now I am off to the bar to get us a round."

Emily and I filled in two empty seats, Emily immediately breaking into conversation with Caroline; at least I think that was her name.

"So how long have you been working at Princeton-Plainsboro?" Katie yelled over the music.

"I'm in residency right now, I'm on my ER rotation," I replied, grabbing a shot from Gretchen.

"Oh what fun! I'm in my fellowship right now. I'm working with Doctor Janowski in radiology."

I downed my shot and winced as it burned my throat. _Definitely tequila._ I grabbed another shot before replying to Katie, "Really? Wow that's interesting."

"Yeah, it's been pretty difficult, but it's finally starting to pay off," she said, lost in thought. "So how old are you?"

"What?" I asked, not hearing her over the music.

"I asked how old you were. You look pretty young to be going through residency," she noted with some distaste.

"I'm twenty four," I replied, "I'm not sure why it concerns you though."

She took a sip of her drink and looked toward the bar, either ignoring my comment or not hearing it.

I turned to ask Emily if she wanted anything from the bar, but she was gone. I downed the second shot and looked around the room, trying to find her. Emily was tall, blond, and gorgeous, so I just had to find the girl surrounded by drooling guys.

"I'll be right back," I shouted to Katie as I stood up from the table and began to the trek to find Emily.

With only two shots in me, my senses were already beginning to become fuzzy, _damn me being a lightweight._ However, I didn't have ER duty tomorrow, only a seminar in the afternoon, so I could get as drunk as I wanted tonight.

I made it to the bar and asked for a vodka soda. I drummed my fingers on the wood as I waited for my drink to arrive, still scanning the room for my blond friend. I murmured thanks to the bartender as I took a sip of my drink.

"You're much too pretty to be alone."

A man had wedged himself between me and another couple, a drink in his hand and a smile on his face. He was attractive, but something about him gave me a bad vibe.

"I'm not alone, I'm here with some friends," I replied, feeling uneasy as I took a gulp of my drink.

"Well could I buy you a drink?" He asked, leaning closer to me, his eyes drifting to my chest.

"No thanks," I said finishing off my drink and shifting away from him.

"I'll make it worth your while," he smirked.

"I'll take my chances."

I pushed myself off the counter and began to walk back towards our table. My head was beginning to cloud, but I shrugged it off. I frowned when I saw the table was empty, save for Gretchen who was finishing off the last of the alcohol.

"Where did everyone go?" I asked, my speech beginning to slur slightly.

"Some guy, Josh, is having a little get together at his house, if you know what I mean," she gestured with her hands.

 _Ah, weed._

"Have you seen Emily?"

"Isn't that her over there?" She pointed towards the opposite side of the room.

Sure enough, Emily was standing over by the wall, her face flushed and a huge grin on her face.

"Will you wait for us?" I asked, looking back to Gretchen.

She gave me a thumbs up and went back to doing whatever she was doing before. _Holy shit she's not affected at all by the alcohol._ As I got closer to Emily, my balance was getting progressively off, resulting in me latching onto her arm.

"Eliza?"

 _Oh no._

I turned to see Emily talking with Chase, both of whom had looks of worry. I released Emily's arm and stood to my full height, or tried to at least. Emily's face was flushed and her eyes were bright, signaling she was close to being drunk.

Chase looked very different from when I saw him yesterday; he was no longer in his work attire of a white jacket and tie, but his shirt was unbuttoned at the top and it was obvious that he too had consumed copious amount of alcohol tonight; he still looked great.

"Josh is having a thing at his place, Gretchen invited us," I said, my eyes flickering between Chase and Emily.

"I was actually going to head home," she said sheepishly, a small smile on her face.

It hit me then why Emily had looked so giddy; she was going home with Chase. I nodded once to her and once to Chase before turning around and walking to find Gretchen. I'm not sure why I was acting so childish; Emily was a grownup and could go home with whomever she wanted. But why out of all people did it have to be Chase?

I definitely didn't have feelings for him or anything, but the way he looked at her made me want to cry for some reason. Of course Emily ensnares another great guy, what was new?

I attributed my sudden burst of emotion to all the alcohol I had earlier, to which I then justified with smoking a shit ton of weed. I knew I shouldn't cross, but at this moment, I really just didn't care.

Josh lived in a relatively small apartment, but that didn't matter as it was still packed to the brim with people. Music was blaring and I clung onto Gretchen's hand as she led me through throngs of people. We were once again reunited with our original group of the night, save for Emily who was currently fucking Chase. I pushed thoughts of her out of my mind as I took my first hit.

I loved Emily like a sister, but I still had my insecurities, I mean who wouldn't when your best friend looked like a freaking supermodel? I had been with my fair share of guys in college, but not nearly the amount Emily had.

So there I sat, getting cross-faded and thinking about Emily. I hadn't even realized the time until my phone began to buzz. With what I had left in me, I looked to see who was calling me. _Emily._ However, my brain wasn't connecting with my fingers at the moment so I was unable to answer her call.

My phone read 4:33, _no shit 3:43, 3:34?_ I couldn't exactly decipher what time it was, but I told Gretchen nonetheless that I was going to head home. Unfortunately for me, I could barely walk so getting home was going to be way more challenging than I first thought.

I managed to push my way out the front door, but the stairs were more challenging. Instead of walking down, I settled on scooting down each step at a time. My skirt was going to be ruined by the time I got home.

Somehow I made it to the sidewalk in front of his building and began to walk.

 _Okay, now think Eliza. Left or right? Right, okay good. Look for your building, yes keep walking._

My thoughts were seriously impaired and I knew I would hate myself tomorrow morning, I mean today. I rarely crossed since college, the medical part of my brain always warning me how dangerous it was. However tonight, my medical training was thrown out the window.

By some miracle, I found our building and clumsily looked through my bag for my keys. Finding the keys were difficult, putting them in the lock might have been the most challenging obstacle of the night.

With a click, the door opened and I yanked my keys out of the lock and slammed the door behind me. I decided that the elevator would be a better option than the stairs so I climbed in and rode up to our floor.

I almost forgot to get off, the reflection of myself in the mirrored box suddenly seeming very intriguing. I stepped off the elevator and began the search for our apartment.

All of the numbers looked the same, blurring into the ugly green doors that lined the hallway. _Look for something familiar,_ I commanded to myself. _Oh! The doormat!_

Emily had insisted on getting an ugly doormat with kittens on it, something I hated then, but suddenly loved now. I grabbed onto the wall and felt my way to the door, my vision becoming blurrier.

For the second time that night I managed to unlock the door, despite being in my state. I threw my bag on the counter and began to walk towards my bedroom. On the way, I slammed into something, assuming it was just a wall I kept walking, until the wall grew arms and grabbed onto my elbows. I opened my mouth to scream, but nothing came out, apparently my vocal cords were also not working.

"Shhh Eliza, it's just me."

From what I could see and hear, "just me" was at least a head taller and had a very thick Australian accent. _Shit shit shit shit._

"Are you okay?" He asked, his voice dripping with concern as he held me tighter.

I was unable to speak, so I think I nodded, but wasn't really sure. He pulled me over to a chair and told me stay put as he rummaged through our fridge for a bottle of water. He handed it to me, but I put it on the table, not bothering to even look at it.

"You need to drink, Eliza," he said in exasperation, grabbing the bottle and handing it back to me.

I narrowed my eyes at him and set the bottle on the floor this time. The lights were still all off in the apartment, so I couldn't see his facial expression, but I definitely heard him sigh.

He held his hands out for me to grab and hoist myself up, "Okay, let's go."

At this point my balance was completely gone so I crashed into him, his arms instantly wrapping around me to stop him and myself from falling. I was a deadweight, so he sort of dragged and carried me to my room. However, I wedged myself in the doorframe and wrapped my arms around his neck.

My mind was screaming at me to just leave it and go to bed, but the alcohol and weed were fuelling me. Chase obviously wasn't prepared for what was coming, as I pressed my lips to his. He stood immobile for a moment, but eventually kissed back, our lips moving in sync.

"Eliza," he cooed, our lips still moving, "Liza, stop."

I pulled back, my arms instantly dropping to my sides as if Chase were on fire. I frowned, not being able to comprehend why we stopped. Chase still wasn't moving, his hands still on my hips as we both stood. As if something finally clicked, he shook his head and stepped away from me.

"Goodnight, Robert," I whispered before closing my door and retreating to the safety of my bed.

 _What the fuck just happened?_


	3. Chapter 3

I was in a bad mood today. I spilled coffee on my scrubs this morning, a girl in the ER threw up on me, and now there were no empty tables in the cafeteria. I spotted Emily sitting in a corner table, so I hesitantly made my way over to her.

After Friday night, things had been off between us. She would usually tell me about her latest hookups, but this time was different. She had stayed relatively quiet this weekend, avoiding the subject of Chase, which I was grateful for.

I had woken up on Saturday, confused and hung over, praying that I dreamed of the events the night before. The details weren't super clear, but I do remember running into Chase and sort of coming on to him. However, Emily never asked how I got home, so I didn't tell.

"So did you hear about the Halloween party House is throwing? I'm sure it'll be interesting, even if it is three weeks away," she said, breaking the silence.

I took a bite of my salad and raised an eyebrow, "House is throwing a party?"

"That's what the nurses are saying, but I heard it's pretty exclusive, only people that don't piss him off are allowed to go. If I've never met him, does that mean I get to go?" She asked, stabbing her own salad with a fork.

"I think so? I'm not really sure." I replied, my eyes trailing to the door of the cafeteria, where Chase and one of his colleagues had just entered.

"I didn't sleep with him, you know," Emily said, her eyes following Chase.

I gave her a puzzled look, "Why not?"

"He came over and we just talked," she stated, leaving me itching with questions.

"Talk? Is that code for something?" I chided as she shook her head.

"No, idiot. We actually did just talk, about school and doctor stuff," she smiled.

"Hmm sounds like fun," I said, my pager distracting me, HOUSE running across the screen. "Hey, I've actually got to get going. I'll see you at home," I apologized, leaving my tray and walking out the door.

I was hoping to make it out of the cafeteria without any contact with Chase, but fate was not on my side today. Our eyes met briefly, him giving me an odd look, and me blushing to my hairline. _Please don't follow me._

The elevator dinged, announcing its arrival as I stepped on. Chase was heading towards me, and I let out a breath I didn't know I had been holding when the doors finally shut. I would deal with Chase later, right now House had my attention. I entered the glass office for my second time, walking over to the man sitting in a chair, watching what appeared to be a soap opera.

"I'm here," I stated, shutting my buzzing pager off.

He didn't take his eyes off the screen, effectively ignoring my presence. I crossed my arms and began to tap my foot, hoping to get a response out of him; nothing. I stood for a few more moments before turning and walking toward the door.

"Hey, I never said you could leave," he called.

I turned around and marched back to his desk, "Then what the hell do you want with me?" I snapped.

"Wow, feisty. Me likey." I narrowed my eyes at him. "You said oncology, right?"

"What?" I asked in confusion, "I'm studying to be an oncologist."

"It would appear I'm missing an oncologist on my team," he said as if stating the obvious.

"What does that have to do with me?" I questioned, trying to keep the annoyance out of my voice.

"I need you on my team."

"What? You're not serious."

"God, is 'what' the only word you know? I need an oncologist on my team and Wilson is a pain in my ass."

"But I'm still in residency," I replied, not quite sure if he was being serious or not.

"Again, Wilson is a pain in my ass and from what I've heard, you're less of a pain in my ass. Now go sit down, we've got a new patient to discuss."

I was going to ask more questions, but was interrupted by a group of people walking past me and into the room over. House hobbled up from his desk and gestured for me to go first. I groaned to myself when I saw who was sitting at the table.

"Eliza, introduce yourself to the class," House chided, pushing me forward.

"Hello everyone, I'm Eliza," I said, my voice barely above a whisper.

"I'm Allison Cameron, nice to meet you," a woman who barely looked older than me said, standing up and shaking my hand.

"I'm Eric Foreman," a man stated, also standing up to shake my hand.

My eyes drifted to the last person at the table, who said nothing.

"By the way Chase is avoiding eye contact, it seems like you two know each other," House said curiously.

I averted my eyes to the floor and sat on the opposite side of the table. House looked between both of us before grabbing a marker and writing on his whiteboard.

"So our patient is experiencing paralysis on his right side, blindness in his right eye, and dyspnea. Foreman and Cameron, go do some digging around his place. Wombat and Newbie, give him an MRI and then an LP," House said quickly.

 _That bastard knew exactly what he was doing._

Everyone stood up and went their respective ways, me a few steps behind Chase as we made our way to the patient's room.

"Okay Glen, this shouldn't take too long," Chase said into the microphone.

The whirring of the MRI machine started, signaling I was only trapped for forty-five minutes in the observation room. I had effectively ignored Chase as we prepped the patient for the test, but I feared I wouldn't be able to ignore him for much longer.

"You're avoiding me," he stated, not taking his eyes off the developing image on the computer.

"No I'm not," I replied innocently, trying to keep my voice even.

He sighed and turned away from the computer to face me, "Eliza, come on."

"There's nothing to talk about."

"I think there is," he said evenly.

"I was drunk, okay?" I said, hoping that would explain everything.

I wasn't exactly sure what there was to explain; it was a drunken act, nothing more.

"Bullshit. You knew exactly what you were doing."

"I beg to differ."

He narrowed his eyes at me but didn't push the matter further.

 _Wow that was easy._

The atmosphere was still tense and awkward as the test ended and went to retrieve the patient. We rolled him back into his room and Chase began to prep him for the Lumbar Puncture.

"Let's just forget it happened, yeah?" He finally said, his eyes meeting mine across the room.

I nodded, "Okay."

The rest of the week went on without a hitch. I was slowly starting to get into the routine of working on new cases with Cameron, Foreman, and Chase. Foreman had seemed a little hesitant at first with my presence, but I think he was warming up. Cameron was thrilled to have another woman on the team, mostly because I think she just wanted to talk about how attractive House was, _ew._

House was still an ass, barking orders and making snide comments every other sentence, but I had to admit, the man was brilliant. Wilson, another oncologist, also made random appearances from time to time, but I didn't think he was an ass like House thought.

Things between Emily and I were almost completely back to normal, save for discussing what had happened last Friday night, which I was okay with.

It was nearing eight at night on Thursday, when I got called into Lisa Cuddy's office. Cuddy was House's boss, and House was my boss, so whatever she wanted must've been important.

"Eliza, please sit," Cuddy said as I entered her office, gesturing to a chair in front of her desk.

"How can I help you?" I asked cautiously.

"Well it's come to my attention that- ah House, how nice of you to finally show up."

I turned around to see House walking through the door, his face giving away nothing of what he was feeling.

"I'm here master, now do I get a treat?"

"Sit down, House." Cuddy said, her voice firm and authoritative. House didn't move. "Okay, fine. It's come to my attention that Eliza now works for you, correct?"

"She's a part of my team." House replied, clearly uninterested in this conversation.

"As you know, she's in residency, so technically she's still in school, meaning that the hospital can't hire her."

I furrowed my brow and turned to face House.

"I didn't hire her, she's just a protégé; think of this as another rotation, but more permanent." House said.

"What? Your protégé? Please, you can barely tolerate your team," Cuddy chuckled.

"Fine. She's Foreman's protégé. Actually scratch that, she's Chase's protégé from now on. Only makes sense a doctor six years her senior teaches her." House smirked.

I sat in silence as Cuddy and House stared menacingly at each other; I suddenly felt like I was interrupting a silent conversation between them. I really didn't have a say in the matter because I was still technically a student, so I could do nothing.

Cuddy finally broke eye contact and groaned, "Fine. But if one patient complains, she's back to ER duty. Now get out of here, you're giving me a migraine."

I stood up from my seat, thanked Cuddy, and followed House out the door. "Thanks."

"Why are you thanking me? I'll make sure Wombat makes your life a living hell. Oh, this is going to be fun," he laughed, rubbing his hand together. "Now up you go, still have a case to figure out."

I looked at a clock and the wall and groaned to myself. _This was going to be a long night._

I moved towards the stairs but heard House tsk, "Newbie, you're taking the elevator with me, incase I have a heart attack."

I narrowed my eyes and begrudgingly got on the elevator with House.

"So, what did happen between you and Chase?"

"House, shut up."


	4. Chapter 4

"Tighter, tighter," Emily gasped as I pulled the strings on her corset, "Come on, keep going Eliza."

I braced my foot on her bed and pulled as tight as I could, earning a groan from her.

Tonight was Halloween and we had managed to score invites to House's party, as in I got a pity invite from him and I was dragging Emily along with me. Emily was dressed as a medieval princess, and I was "Miss America." Yeah the costumes were generic, but as struggling med students, these were pretty elaborate compared to our garbage bag dresses last year.

Earlier that day, our patient had gone into a coma, leaving us with a lot to do tomorrow to try and solve the case. However, House claimed he needed time to get ready, so he let us leave early. Cameron had been chatting the entire day about the event, while Foreman and Chase looked less than interested. I wasn't expecting either of them to show up, until Chase pulled me aside after we drew blood from our patient.

" _I hope I'll see you at House's party."_

His words played through my head as I searched through my closet for my dress. That man was so confusing; one day he's completely ignoring me, the next it's like we've been friend for years.

"Oh, wear that one!" Emily gushed, pulling out a blue dress I had kept from college.

"This one? It's so short," I muttered as she pulled the piece of fabric out. "I'm pretty sure I wore that to a frat party like five years ago."

"Come on, you'll look great! Plus if a certain someone is there, then it'll be even better," she said suggestively, wagging her eyebrows.

I had caved last night and told her about what happened with Chase. In my defense, she made me drink two mugs of wine before I admitted the truth to her. She had been totally okay with it surprisingly; I thought she would want him all to herself, but I was wrong. She said she thought of him as more of a potential friend than anything, plus she said I wasn't having sex often enough, so I NEEDED him; I disagreed on that part.

I grabbed the dress from her and pulled it over my head, grabbing my "Miss America" sash and my crown. I cringed at myself in the mirror; I looked like a slutty sorority girl. Emily insisted on doing my hair and makeup, so I sat in front of the mirror while she chatted away about her day. She never paused, so I didn't have to talk, which was good.

I was beginning to get nervous, my palms sweating and my heart beating more rapidly. I hadn't gotten this nervous about going to a party with a cute guy since high school. I was twenty-four years old; I wasn't supposed to get nervous about a guy anymore, right?

I pushed my nervousness out of my mind as Emily said, "Ta da!"

I looked at myself in the mirror, impressed by Emily's superb skills. My usual lackluster brown waves were tamed and shiny, and my minimal makeup that I wore to work was exemplified.

"Now come on, we want to be fashionably late."

Emily grabbed her purse, and I mine before we headed out the door and to the party.

Before we pulled up, I could hear music from down the street. Red cups littered House's lawn, and strangers were happily chatting around the outside of his house. I didn't take House to be a frat party kind of guy, but House was always surprising me.

We walked inside and were instantly hit with the smell of beer. I cringed at the scent, but followed Emily in. The house was dimly lit, Halloween decorations covering almost everything; this looked more like a haunted house than a "work party."

Emily passed me a red cup before grabbing one for herself. I took a sip and looked around the room. Everyone was dressed to impress, or so it seemed. I instantly spotted Cameron, dresses as Little Red Riding Hood. Next, I saw Foreman, dressed as a none other than a doctor; talking to a nurse I had met on ER duty.

"Oh my God, look at House," Emily laughed, pointing near Foreman.

House was full out dressed as a vampire, white face, fangs, and a cape; the blood coming out of his mouth really sold it. House and I locked eyes and he was instantly hobbling over to Emily and I.

"Vat a pleasure ladies," he said in a terrible accent.

I suppressed my laughter, "Hello House. Nice party."

"I suppose. Definitely not enough hookers for my taste but it'll have to do," he sighed. "Have you seen Wombat yet?"

"No," I said too quickly. House raised an eyebrow. "I mean no, not yet. He mentioned something about coming here."

"Uh huh. Well if you do happen to see him, tell him he owes me twenty bucks," and with that, House hobbled away.

Emily stifled a giggle into her drink as I smiled. We chatted for a while longer, before I went to go get a refill and mingle. Cameron waved me over once I filled my cup.

"Eliza! Nice outfit," she chuckled, looking me up and down.

"Thanks," I said sheepishly, "Your outfit is nice too."

"You think? House hasn't said anything," she trailed off.

"Well House is an ass, so of course he won't come right out and say how you look," I said trying to reassure her.

"Yeah I guess you're right. Hey do you want to play beer pong? I haven't played since college."

I shrugged and followed her out to House's backyard. A hand grasped my arm, stopping me in my tracks. "Eliza, he's here," Emily whispered in my ear before letting me go.

Almost instantly my butterflies returned, but I pushed them down and nodded. "Okay, I'll be outside."

I resumed my previous course and continued to the backyard, spotting Cameron playing at what appeared to be a ping-pong table.

"Well look who finally decided to show up," she laughed. "You can be on my team."

I walked over and grabbed the ball from her. I tossed it into our opponents' cup and made it. Cameron and I high-fived as one guy from the team chugged his beer. The game continued on for about ten more minutes, ending in Cameron and I winning. I wasn't drunk but definitely buzzed from all the alcohol I had consumed.

"That's not a very good costume," Cameron said pointing towards the door. My eyes drifted to Chase, who was dressed in a pair of scrubs. "You're already a doctor."

"It's all I had lying around," he defended, crossing his arms.

"Yeah well it's boring," she hiccupped.

"I think you've had enough, Cameron," I hissed, grabbing her arm and pulling her inside. I went to the kitchen and filled a cup up with water, returning to Cameron who was sitting on a couch, and handing her the glass. "Drink."

She took a sip, "You're no fun."

"We have to be up early tomorrow, and I'm sure you don't want a hangover."

"She'll be fine, she's had worse." Chase chuckled, leaning on the doorframe. His eyes skated up and down my figure, my face heating slightly. As his eyes lingered on my chest.

"It was one time," she mumbled as I raised an eyebrow.

I looked between Cameron and Chase before sighing. "I'm going to find Emily."

Unfortunately, I found Emily deep in conversation with a scarecrow so instead of interrupting, I went to the cooler, grabbed a beer, and sat down.

"So you came."

I jumped, startled by Chase's appearance. "Here I am."

We sat in silence for a few moments before Chase sighed. He took a sip of his beer and stood up, offering his hand to me. "Let's talk somewhere more private."

I grabbed his hand silently and pulled myself up. He didn't let go of my hand as he led us through the party and into a vacant room, the lights turned off. Truthfully, I wasn't sure what we needed to talk about. The past three weeks had been nothing short of odd, but I definitely didn't think there was any chemistry between Chase or I, or so I thought.

"Eliza, how do you feel?"

"I feel fine, doctor, thanks for asking," I replied. _Shit, am I drunk?_

He narrowed his eyes and closed the door, the glow of the lights outside illuminating the room somewhat.

"No, I mean about me," he clarified, moving a micrometer closer.

My chest felt like it was compressing, _this was a conversation I was not prepared to have._

"I think you're a great doctor, and a good partner," I said lamely.

"That's it?"

 _No that's not it, idiot_.

"What do you want me to say, Robert?"

"Something, anything! I'm drawing a blank here Eliza. I really thought there was something going on here, but apparently I was wrong," he said in frustration.

"What I did was a mistake," I lied, trying to keep my voice even.

"A mistake, really?" He asked; he almost sounded disappointed.

"We barely know each other! We see each other almost everyday, but I don't know anything about you," I said, as if to clarify my earlier statement.

"Well let's get to know each other then. Dinner at my place, tomorrow," he said, not giving me the chance to say no.

I opened my mouth to speak but nothing came out. The air suddenly grew hotter in the room and all I wanted to do was touch Robert. He must've sensed it too because before I knew it, his hands were wrapped around my back and his lips were on mine.

My arms wrapped around his neck and I stood on my tiptoes to bring myself closer to him. He tugged on my lower lip with his teeth as I opened my mouth wider, allowing access for his tongue.

I moved my lips from his, trailing them down his jaw. He groaned when I nipped at his neck, eliciting a smile from me. His hands grabbed my hips, pulling me up so we could connect our lips once again. I wasn't sure how far we were going to take things, but at this point, I really didn't want to stop.

Our kisses became sloppier as I fumbled to pull his shirt over his head. Our lips disconnected for a moment as he pulled the fabric over his head and tossed it aside. My hands roamed the planes of his chest and stomach, dropping to the waistband of his scrubs.

He struggled to untie the top of my dress, but eventually got it, the dress dropping and pooling at my feet. I was left in my bra and the pair of spandex I had on under my dress.

I blushed when Robert's eyes skated up and down my body, but kissed him before he could say anything. I felt him stiffen against me as my hands dipped into the waistband of his boxers.

"Eliza are you- holy shit!"

I practically jumped away from Robert, trying to cover myself as Foreman stood in the doorway, his eyes wide with surprise. Fortunately, Robert stood in front of me, blocking Foreman from me, to give me some privacy.

"What, Foreman?" Robert snapped.

"Emily was looking for you, but I guess I'll leave you to it," he said before backing out of the door and closing it behind him.

I moved from behind Chase and grabbed my dress, pulling it over my head and retying the back. Chase also grabbed his shirt and tugged it on, a sigh escaping his lips once he finished redressing.

"What?" I murmured, moving closer to him.

Foreman had definitely killed the mood, that much was clear as I glanced at Robert. I was disappointed, but relieved at the same time. I had a feeling Robert and I would regret doing anything else, yet I still ached for him, something I had not felt for a while. I had to go find Emily, so it was time to leave Chase.

"I'll see you tomorrow," I whispered, pressing my lips to his cheek.

I moved towards the door, only to be pulled back into Robert. He kissed me sweetly before saying, "I can't wait."


	5. Chapter 5

Our date was going well.

I had told Emily after we got home from the party about the date; she was thrilled to say the least. I was still perplexed as to how last night happened, because I clearly remember telling myself not to get drunk and hook up with Chase. _Oops._ Thankfully, Emily hadn't blabbed to the whole hospital that I was going to Robert's.

The day was pretty average: our patient was officially diagnosed with hepatic encephalopathy, someone threw up on me again in the ER, and Robert and I hooked up in the locker room, if you count a hand job as hooking up; overall an average day.

By the time my shift was over, I was itching to get home and change before heading over to Chase's. We were having dinner at his house, I figured some jeans I didn't dig out of my hamper and a striped t-shirt was suitable. I left my hair down in its natural waves, and kept what makeup I had been wearing all day.

I arrived to Robert's late and drenched, the sudden downpour soaking me to the bone, and my car not starting was the cherry on top. Robert of course fussed over me, giving me a dry shirt to wear as he dried the rest of my clothes in his dryer.

So here I am, sitting in Robert's kitchen, wearing an old college t-shirt of his, eating Thai takeaway with a glass of wine in my hand.

"You can't be serious," I laughed, taking a sip of my wine.

"I am! I beat him up in front of my entire class," Robert chuckled.

"I didn't know you were such a bad child," I teased, eliciting a smile from Robert.

"Enough about me," Robert said, sitting back in his chair and crossing his arms, "What about you?"

"What about me?" I asked, tucking a piece of hair behind my ear.

"I want to know about you."

"There's not that much to tell," I said quietly. "I'm from Chicago, moved to New York when I was eleven. I have two sisters who're both older than me; they live in Los Angeles working for the same law firm. I graduated from the University of Michigan with a degree in biology, went to med school at UC San Francisco, and now I'm here."

"Anything else?"

"Anything else?" I asked in disbelief.

"Where've you been, what do you want to do when you're older? Hopes, dreams, aspirations?" He asked with a smile.

"Maybe a later time," I smirked, taking a sip of my wine.

Suddenly, the sky lit up with a flash of lightening, a fizzing sound following, and the lights going out. Robert and I were left in darkness, the rain pounding against the windows and thunder rumbling outside.

"Well this has never happened on a first date."

I offered Chase a smile before finishing my wine and standing up.

"Do you have any candles?"

"Yeah, in the left cabinet in the kitchen. I'll get them," Robert said, standing up and moving towards the kitchen.

"I got it," I said, passing in front of him, "Go get some matches."

He nodded and walked in the other direction, leaving me to find the "left cabinet." I walked into the kitchen and began looking around, finding the cabinet almost instantly. Unfortunately, the matches were on the top shelf in the cabinet, far beyond my reach. I glanced around the room, looking for a chair or something to stand on. _Nothing._

I groaned in frustration, and hoisted myself onto the counter. Even when I was standing to my full height, I was unable to reach the matches. With a huff, I stretched on my tiptoes and felt around the shelf for the box.

"Jesus, what're you doing?"

Two hands grabbed my waist as I continued to feel around the cabinet, grinning when I grasped the small box. I turned around and maneuvered off the counter, Chase's hands still on my waist. I landed on the ground with a thud, holding up the box of matches in triumph.

"That wasn't so bad," I smirked.

"You're an idiot," Chase chuckled, squeezing my hips.

A flash of lightening momentarily lit up the room, Chase's hands running up and down my sides. I licked my lips, trying not to get distracted by his hands, "Let's go light the candles."

Robert found a total of twelve candles of all shapes and sizes, so we set about lighting them and placing them in various rooms. Robert had a pretty nice apartment; it was very spacious, and quite modern, more modern than I originally thought Robert's taste. What I like the most was the large window that covered an entire wall in his bedroom, revealing the city seven stories below.

After we had set all the candles, I found myself staring out the window, listening to the rain patter against the glass and watch raindrops chase each other down the glass.

"It's nice, isn't it?" I asked, wrapping my arms around myself as Robert came and stood next to me.

"What? The rain?" He asked, bemused.

"Yeah that, and how quiet it is. It's always so busy everywhere, it's nice to just sit down and listen once in awhile," I murmured. "I love the rain."

"I really want to kiss you right now."

A blush crept onto my cheeks as I turned to face Robert. "Are you sure?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

We weren't drunk now; we weren't able to use alcohol as an excuse anymore, and I wanted to be sure this is really what he wanted.

He closed the distance in one step and grasped my face in his hands, his thumbs stroking my cheekbones, "Absolutely."

Time seemed to slow down as he captured his lips with mine, our tongues clashing as thunder boomed and lightening lit up the sky. I wrapped my arms around his neck, standing to my full height and pushing myself against him, removing any space between us.

His hands moved from my face, to my hips, and eventually settling on my backside. His lips left mine and also moved down to my jaw and then neck. I sighed as he nipped at a particularly sensitive spot on my collarbone. _That's going to leave a mark._

I could feel him growing harder against me every time I groaned. At this rate, we weren't going to last much longer with our clothes still on. I unwrapped my arms from his neck and tugged his shirt up and over his head. I fumbled to undo his belt, smiling when his pants finally dropped to the floor, leaving him in his boxers.

He pulled me over to the bed, our lips never disconnecting as he laid me down, him hovering over me. His lips attacked my neck again as his hands roamed up my large borrowed shirt. I held my breath when his fingers skimmed the top of my panties. His hands grabbed the bottom of the shirt and pulled it up. I rocked back and nearly ripped the shirt off my head, tossing it aside before kissing Robert once again.

My hands moved down to the top of his boxers, my fingers dipping into the waistband. Robert rolled his hips into mine, clearly liking the feeling of my hands moving lower.

"Let's take these off," I whispered, tugging his boxers down.

"Ladies first," he replied smugly, his hands reaching fro my panties. He pulled them off my legs in one swift motion, leaving me exposed.

I was suddenly very aware just how naked I was, and how not naked he was. I grinned as I pulled his boxers down agonizingly slow, kissing his throat as he sprung free. He kicked his boxers off, joining my shirt and panties on the floor.

I gasped in surprise when he inserted a finger into me, pumping slowly. I moaned in pleasure when he added another finger and increased the pace. If he didn't stop, I would be spent soon.

"Robert," I gasped.

"Drawer," he answered immediately, knowing exactly what I was reaching for.

He continued to tease me with his fingers, his lips leaving kisses around my navel as I desperately searched the drawer, with my free hand; my other was currently tangled in his hair. I finally found a foil packet and pulled it out, using my teeth to rip it open. He pulled his fingers out of me as I grabbed his length and rolled the condom on.

He brought his face back up to mine, capturing my lips with his. He kissed my jaw as he pushed into me, filling me up. I moaned at the sensation and began to rock my hips. I met his very thrust, going slowly at first and then getting faster. A slick layer of sweat covered both of us and I suddenly wished we had cracked a window.

"Ohmygod," I moaned as our thrusts became more erratic.

Suddenly I stars exploded in my vision, my toes curling at the wonderful sensation of my orgasm. Chase came shortly after, moaning into my neck as I peppered his forehead with kisses.

We sat in silence for a moment, the only sounds were our heavy breathing and the rain still outside. Chase's head was resting on my chest as I ran my fingers through his hair. He pulled out slowly, and kissed my forehead before standing up and discarding the condom in the bin. I sighed dreamily, still slightly in a haze from my orgasm. Chase was good in bed; I'd give him that.

I sat up as he climbed back into bed, pulling the covers around myself. "Another round?"

"Jesus woman, give me a minute," he laughed.

I crawled into his lap and straddled his waist, wrapping my arms around his neck in the process. I pressed my lips to his ear and whispered, "Do you need any help with that?"


	6. Chapter 6

_Bzzzzzzzzz. Bzzzzzzzz._

It was too early, and something was vibrating. Without opening my eyes, I leaned over the side of the bed, careful not to wake Robert, and felt around on the ground. I grasped the annoying vibrating object and cracked an eye open to see what it was.

House had been paging me since five o'clock this morning, the message reading: EMERGENCY COME QUICKLY. I glanced over to the bedside table to see Robert's pager still and silent. I groaned, realizing that House wouldn't let up until I got to the hospital, and the longer I took to get there, the more annoying he'd be.

 _What the hell could he want at seven in the morning on a Sunday?_

As quietly and gently as I could, I untangled myself from Robert and slipped out of his grasp. He shifted around, clearly upset at me leaving, but turned onto his side and continued to sleep. The sky was overcast, but it provided me with enough light to find my bra and panties and slip them on. I now needed to find the rest of my clothes.

I tiptoed out of the room, walking quickly and quietly down the hall. I opened various doors, discovering an office, bathroom, another bedroom, and finally the washer and dryer. I grabbed my clothes out of the dryer and put them on. I would have to go without a shower and breakfast, but hey, I wasn't trying to impress House; I could shower at work and snag some food from the cafeteria.

I gathered the rest of my belongings and stuffed them in my purse, my car keys in my hand. It didn't feel right to leave without telling Robert goodbye; this definitely wasn't a one-night stand, and I knew he would worry if I left suddenly.

I threw my hair into a messy ponytail and walked back to his room. I opened the door to see him sitting on the edge of the bed. He had put on pajama pants, but still no shirt. My heart fluttered when his eyes met mine from across the room.

"I thought you left." He sounded hurt almost, maybe disappointed.

"House paged me, said it was an emergency," I replied, walking so I was standing in front of him. "It's probably nothing, House just being House," I reassured him.

He stood up and placed his hands on my waist pulling me forward and kissing me sweetly, "I'll see you later."

I smiled and nodded, giving his hand a squeeze before turning and leaving. I practically squealed when I got in my car, my emotions running rampant at the moment. It felt like I was in high school all over again; I hadn't been this excited about a guy in awhile, and it felt good.

Robert was completely different than when I first met him. When we worked together, he was relatively quiet, only speaking when House asked him a question or talking to a patient. However, he was really quite talkative actually, cracking stupid jokes and recounting stories of sorts from his past. He definitely kissed House's ass, but he had also been apart of the team the longest for a reason; he was a brilliant doctor and a great man, anyone would be lucky to have him as a friend.

I smiled the entire drive to work, parking my hulking Jeep in my regular spot and floating to the entrance of the hospital. I waved to nurses who had just started their rounds, and even waved to Wilson, who was wandering the halls for some unknown reason.

I arrived to House's office shortly after leaving the elevator, only to be greeted by a sign saying: ROOM 346. I turned around and started walking down the hall, pushing the door open to 346 to see House sitting on the bed of a man who appeared to be comatose.

"I'm here, what do you want?" I asked, placing my hands on my hips.

"Shhh, this is getting to the good part," House hissed, pushing me to the side with his cane.

I turned to see what he was staring at and turned away immediately.

"Did you call me here to watch porn with you, because that is not happening."

"No, get your mind out of the gutter," he tutted. "I called you here because you have a new patient."

"We have a new case?" I asked.

"No, you have a new case," he said, thrusting me a blue folder.

"Seventeen year old, came into the ER with head trauma, shortness of breath, and blindness in her left eye. What am I supposed to do with her?"

"Figure out what's wrong with her. Did you go to med school to practice magic tricks or be a doctor?" House snapped. "Now leave, it's getting to the good part."

I sighed and retreated out of the room. As I made my way to her room, I racked my brain for what could possibly be wrong with her. I would have to do several tests and wait for the results, which would take a day at the least, meaning I would not be working with Cameron, Foreman, or Chase for awhile.

Maybe this was a chance to prove myself, or to practice all the skills I had learned in college and from my colleagues. Whatever the reason, I had a patient to treat.

I entered the room and saw a frail looking girl lying in bed, her parents, I assumed, on either side of her. The mother was clutching the girl's hand, tears streaming down her face.

"What's wrong with her?" she choked.

"I'm not sure, but I'll get to the bottom of this. I need to ask her some questions, so I'm going to wake her up."

Her mother nodded and let go of her hand, gently shaking her shoulder, "Grace, wake up."

The girl's eyes fluttered open, her eyes meeting mine from across the room. A smile spread across her face, _at least she was in good spirits._

"You must be my doctor," she greeted me as I moved next to her bed.

"I'm Doctor Holland," I smiled. "I'm just going to check a few things to see what's going on. Follow my finger."

I moved my finger in front of her face, noting that her right eye didn't follow, probably due to the fact that she couldn't see out of that eye. I flashed my light in her eyes, noticing that both of her pupils responded. I went on to take a few vials of blood, and promised I would be back to meet her for an MRI.

I stifled a yawn as I flipped another page of the medical journal. Grace had progressively gotten worse throughout the day. She was having almost constant seizures and difficulty breathing and I had no idea why. I didn't want to cave and go to House, but my patient was getting worse and I was running out of options.

In my final attempt to avoid House, I pulled out several volumes of medical journals and started with seizures. I had been flipping through the journals for at least four hours, or at least that's what I thought due it being dark outside now.

I holed myself up in our office, the only breaks I took were to pee and make myself a cup of tea. I kicked my shoes off and tucked my legs underneath me, tentatively taking a sip of my scalding tea and flipping another page. My eyes were drooping, but I had to keep going; I needed to get Grace better.

I groaned and slammed the book shut, _still nothing._ I reached across the table and threw another journal on the table and began to read. I had barely gotten into the second page when I heard the door open.

"What're you still doing here?" Chase asked, walking over to the table.

"I'm on a case," I replied, holding up the journal and tossing it back onto the table a little more forcefully than I intended.

Chase winced at the sound and moved to sit down next to me. "Yeah, I could tell. How's it going?"

"My patient has been having seizures and can't breathe. It's going great," I snapped.

"You're cute when you're frustrated," Chase smiled, tapping the tip of my nose with his finger.

"What time is it?" I asked, changing the subject.

"Almost nine. Are you going to be here a while?"

"I'm expecting all night, but who knows, maybe I'll figure it out at three and then go home," I replied putting my head in my hands and slumping my shoulders. "I don't know what to do."

Diagnosing a patient by myself was a lot more difficult than I thought. The symptoms kept changing, the parents kept hounding me with questions, plus I didn't have an extra pair of hands to help me with tests. There was also the joy of waiting hours for a test result to come back. At least when I worked with Foreman, Cameron, and Chase, everyone had a job to do and everything got done.

Chase rubbed a hand up and down my back comfortingly. "I'm sure you'll get it, but now it's time to get creative, do some snooping."

I lifted my head from my hands and looked at him incredulously. "What? Go to her house and search through her stuff?"

"Yeah, actually."

I thought it over, _what's the worst that could happen? Get arrested? Fired?_ I stood and grabbed my jacket, thinking it over I also reached for my car keys.

"You go, I'll keep looking," Chase offered.

I placed my hand on his shoulder and squeezed. "Thank you."

With that I left the hospital, found my car, and drove to Grace's house. Okay, it was weird to break into a patient's house, but I needed to see if I had missed anything. I hummed along to the radio as I drove.

I pulled into a modest looking house about fourty-five minutes later, shutting my engine off and hopping out of the car. I walked to the front door and looked around for a key. I felt around under the doormat and grasped a small object, pulling out a key.

The house was nice and very clean. I didn't see a spec of dust as I swabbed samples and looked through cabinets and drawers. I discovered what appeared to be a large vat of almonds and I instantly felt something wasn't right. I started going through what almonds could do in my head, yet none of them fit the symptoms Grace was experiencing.

Suddenly, a thought popped into my head. I had read an article about the dangers of unrefined bitter almonds, but they were illegal to sell in the US. I was not going to test my theory of cyanide poisoning by eating one, so instead I dialed Chase.

"Hello?"

"Did you check her blood gas levels and lactate level?" I asked, setting the vat of almonds on the counter.

"Not yet, but I'll do it right now. Why, what'd you find?" He asked.

"I think I know what's wrong with Grace."

I saw a set of tiny footprints and followed the path, cringing when I discovered the carcass of a dead rat, surrounded by none other than almonds. I immediately smelled something bitter. I was right!

"She has cyanide poisoning. Give her oxygen, hydroxocobalamin, sodium thiosulfate, and sodium nitrite. I'm on my way back." With that, I ended the call and left the house, grabbing a few almonds on the way out and putting them in a sample bag.

I couldn't believe I had actually solved a case, well maybe not solve yet, I had to see if the treatment worked and then I could confirm my diagnosis. It was around midnight by the time I got back to the hospital. I felt bad that Chase stayed, granted I needed the help, but I knew he would be exhausted tomorrow.

I hurried into the hospital and went straight to the lab, pulling out the almonds and testing them for cyanide. Sure enough, the almond was seeping with it. I wrote down the results and left the lab, walking to Grace's room to check on her progress. I saw Chase talking to her, a smile on her face as she laughed at something he said, probably a bad joke.

"How're you feeling?" I asked, moving to stand next to Chase.

"Better, I can see again," she grinned.

"Great. The treatment seems to be working, and you'll feel a lot better tomorrow," I said with a smile. "I'll be here tonight to periodically check on how you're doing."

"Thanks Dr. Holland, for everything," Grace's mother spoke up.

"It's my pleasure. Let me know if you need anything." I smiled and left the room, Chase trailing behind me.

"So you're going to be here all night?" He asked as we walked down the hall.

"So it seems," I said. "You should go, get some sleep."

"I administered the treatment, therefore she's also in my care so I have to stay as well," he smiled.

"Well in that case, I'm going to go shower, and no, you can't join me."

"Aha! What do we have here?" A voice shouted, a door slamming shortly after.

I jumped, my eyes fluttering open to see House in the doorway. I looked around and realized I was in the lounge room, a sleeping Chase beneath. _Wow this was a compromising situation. We must've fallen asleep last night; at least we had clothes on._

House hobbled over and poked Chase with his cane, "Wake up Wombat."

Chase opened his eyes sleepily, pulling his hand out from beneath my shirt and rubbing his eyes. "What time it is?"

"Time to get your ass up and home to pack. We're going on a business trip."


	7. Chapter 7

"He asked you to go on a business trip?"

"It's a conference about a new treatment for liver cancer. Strictly business," I replied, tossing another item into my suitcase.

"Yeah, but why are you going?" Emily asked as if to clarify my earlier statement.

"I have no idea."

I really didn't have any idea why House insisted we go to this conference. When it came to out-of-state conferences that was Cuddy and Wilson's department. Apparently for this conference, however, House had been asked to give a speech; I'm sure he was just dragging us along to make sure we were as miserable as him.

Despite my apprehension about the conference, it would be filled with oncologists from around the country whom I could speak with; this would be a good opportunity to branch out and meet new people. The conference was also being held in Chicago, which would give me an excuse to stop and visit my mom. Unfortunately, House hadn't given us much of a heads up about this conference, especially about the part where our flight left in three hours.

"What do I even bring to a conference?" I groaned, pulling things out of drawers and throwing them onto my bed.

"Just like stuff you wear to work, maybe some dresses? Oh bring something fun incase you guys go out and do something," she said wagging her eyebrow.

"Highly doubt it, but okay," I chuckled.

"When will you be back?" Emily asked.

"So it's Monday today, um, Thursday I think?"

"I'll be so lonely here," she whined.

"I'm sure you'll survive," I laughed.

Emily rolled off my bed and walked to stand in front of me, putting her hands on my shoulders. "Be careful, okay?"

"I'll be fine," I said reassuringly, not completely believing myself.

"Hurry up people. I'm a cripple and I can walk faster than you," House called.

We were currently rushing through the airport to catch our flight… which began boarding fifteen minutes ago. Our flight had been moved to a different gate on the other side of the airport. Unfortunately, House hadn't informed us of our gate change, due to his enjoyment of seeing us all panic.

I weaved through the crowd, my long legs not taking me as far as I hoped with each step. I was losing sight of House, _damn me being so short!_ Suddenly, someone grabbed my arm and pulled me forward.

"Come on, we don't want to miss the flight," Cameron hissed.

I shook her off and walked more quickly until we reached our gate. Cuddy rushed forward and explained to the woman checking tickets what had happened. I could see Cuddy was flustered, but the woman eventually nodded and reopened the gate for us.

"Phew, that was a close one," House said, wiping the nonexistent sweat from his brow. "Try to keep up next time."

I narrowed my eyes at House but said nothing. I readjusted my bag on my shoulder as I handed the woman my ticket, who told me I was sitting in 12F _._ I silently hoped I packed enough, a gust of freezing New Jersey air rushing through the hallway. My outfit consisted of leggings and another one of my many striped shirts, but in my rush, I forgot to grab a jacket. _Fuck._

"Where're you sitting?" Foreman piqued as we walked down the aisle of the plane.

"Twelve-F. You?"

"Twelve-D. I guess we're going to be neighbors," he chuckled.

I hoisted my bag onto my shoulder and scooted into my seat. I opened the shade to the window and looked around outside before shutting it once again. The flight was only an hour and a half, but a little kid was already kicking my seat and several babies were wailing. I sighed and closed my eyes, hoping the next time I woke up, we would be in Chicago.

I opened my eyes slowly, the light from the open window ahead seeping in, making me squint my eyes.

"Well look who's finally awake."

As soon as my eyes readjusted to the light, I looked to my right to see Chase sitting in the middle seat.

"Sorry about that, I didn't sleep very well last night," I smirked, stretching my arms up to the ceiling.

Chase and I shared a look, which Foreman shook his head at. "I don't want to know."

I smiled and grabbed my bag from underneath the seat in front of me. I pulled out my phone to check the time, only to realize there was a time change and my phone was in airplane mode.

"We land in twenty minutes," Chase said as I tucked my bag back in its place.

I nodded and looked out the window, smiling when Chase grabbed my hand and interwove our fingers. He placed a small kiss on my knuckles before resting our hands in his lap.

"Are you excited?" I asked, turning to face him.

"Not particularly. Conferences are boring and the people are bland."

"Hmm, well we'll just have to make it more fun," I teased giving his hand a squeeze.

Chase and I continued to talk as the plane descended and we eventually landed. We departed the plane and were instantly met with a gust of cold Chicago wind. For some odd reason, our gate wasn't working, so we had to walk from the tarmac to the airport. Our plane was set to leave soon for another flight and we were unable to enter the airport due to the storm, so we were stranded in the cold.

I shivered and cursed myself again for not brining a jacket. I could see goose bumps forming on my skin, and my fingers were beginning to tingle. I was rubbing my hands together when a piece of fabric was placed in my hands.

"Put it on," Chase said, gesturing to the sweatshirt he had given me. "No arguing."

I huffed but put the sweatshirt on anyways, instantly savoring the warmth and the smell of Robert. He ushered for me to walk closer to him so he could wrap his arms around me.

"Ar-aren't you c-cold?" I chattered as he rubbed my back with his hands, trying to keep me warm. He was only in a flannel, but he seemed fine.

"I'm fine, now give me your hands."

I placed them in his as he rubbed them together and blew. After he was done with my hands, I tucked them back into my sweatshirt and curled up against his chest, his head resting on mine. I pressed a kiss to his chest as he wrapped his arms around me once again.

Robert didn't show affection very often, so I was perplexed as to why he was being so hands on now. We had gotten several odd looks from Wilson and Cameron, while House just glared, Foreman looked sick, and Cuddy smiled.

After about fifteen minutes, we were ushered into the airport and directed to the baggage claim. At this point, we were all cold, annoyed, and tired from our shitty airport experience.

Once we got our luggage, we crammed into cabs and drove to our hotel. As we entered Chicago, I pressed my face up against the glass and admired the city. Couples were walking hand in hand down the street, bundled up for the storm as snow swirled around. The buildings glistened with melted snowflakes; I suddenly felt nostalgic, missing my home more than anything.

By the time we made it to the hotel, it had snowed a significant amount. We had to trudge through the slush, soaking my shoes and leggings in the process, eliciting a groan from me. All I wanted at this point was a hot shower and to sleep for five days.

"Okay, I'm with Wilson, Cuddy is alone for obvious reasons, and the four of you fight to the death for your rooms," House said as he shuffled into the elevator with Cuddy and Wilson, leaving Chase, Foreman, Cameron, and I standing in the lobby.

"Okay, I'll go with Chase, but if you two plan to fuck, let me know so I can leave," Foreman said, brushing past us.

My cheeks flamed as Cameron's mouth dropped open. "What? You two? You can't be serious."

I narrowed my eyes at her. "Just because you and Chase didn't work out doesn't mean that we won't."

With that, I turned on my heel and stepped into a newly arrived elevator, pressing my floor and slamming my finger on the "close door" button. I could see the look of confusion on Chase's face as the door closed.

Of course it was obvious that Chase and Cameron had a fling before we met. He and she walked on eggshells around each other, and by the way she blushed when he put his hand on her waist to get past her, they had also been very physical and she wasn't over it. What surprised me is that both of them actually thought no one knew.

I wasn't upset that they had been together, hell I had been with other people too so it wasn't my place to be a hypocrite. However, the way she reacted to Chase and I just grated on a nerve.

I threw my bag onto my bed and yanked my makeup bag out of my suitcase. Hopefully a scalding shower would help clear my head.

I pulled my clothes off and stepped into the shower, hissing when the hot water hit my freezing fingers. The longer I stood in the shower, the looser my muscles got and my anger began to ebb away. I was pulled from my thoughts by the sound of the bathroom door opening. I instantly covered myself, thankful for the steam that fogged up the glass of the shower. I unwrapped my limbs from around myself when I heard an all too familiar sigh.

"Robert?" I asked tentatively, peeking my head out of the shower door.

I didn't seem him, so I shut the door and hopped back under the water and closed my eyes. I squealed in surprise when a pair of arms wrapped around my waist, and turned to face a now wet Robert.

"Idiot! You scared me," I said, lightly smacking his chest. "What are you doing?"

He didn't respond, but instead nuzzled into my neck and rewrapped his arms around my waist. "What happened downstairs?"

"It was nothing," I murmured, reaching for a bottle of shampoo and squirting some into my hands.

"It wasn't nothing," he replied as I motioned for him to turn around and began to wash his hair. He groaned in pleasure as I massaged his scalp, temporarily distracting him from our conversation.

"I knew that you and Cameron had something before, but now it's done, and it doesn't matter."

"How'd you know?" He asked, clearly surprised that I knew.

"It's not hard to miss," I smirked. "The way Cameron looks at you, it's almost like she's lusting after you, not something unfamiliar, right?"

"What do you mean?"

"You don't notice how other nurses look at you? Come on Robert," I chuckled, blushing slightly at the fact that I had just admitted he was hot.

"They can look all they want, but I only want you."

I bit my lip to stop my grin from splitting my face. I stood on my tiptoes and brushed my nose against his, before pressing my lips to his. "I only want you too."

Even though we had only been intimately involved for a few days, I knew that Robert was one I shouldn't let get away. Apparently we had just agreed that we wanted to be exclusive, so now he was really all mine. I ground my hips against his and heard him stifle a moan.

He turned me around suddenly and grasped my hips, forcing me against the wall. He inserted a finger into me and I gasped in surprise, spreading my legs further apart. Robert pressed kisses to my shoulder blades as he inserted another finger. _This is a nice way to celebrate._

Robert pulled his fingers out of me and spun me around, his lips crashing into mine. I wound my fingers in his hair and felt his cock stiffen against my leg. I bit his lip and ground my hips against his again.

"Liza-there's-no-condom," he said in between kisses.

"I'm on birth control," I said against his collarbone.

He didn't protest when I guided him inside of me and heard him moan. He began to thrust, me trying to meet his every move while trying not to tip over at the same time. My orgasm came hot and fast; I swear I saw stars as I bit my lip to keep from calling out.

"Liza, I'm gonna-" Robert groaned.

I kissed his throat as he pulled out of me and came in the shower. I silenced his moans with my lips and giggled when he nipped at my neck.

"That never gets old," he sighed against my neck as I ran my fingers through his hair.

My legs were getting a bit shaky; having sex standing up was a lot more work than I thought. Robert must've noticed because he shut the shower off and scooped me up in his arms bridal style.

"That was great," I mumbled as he set me down on my bed and wrapped me in a towel. "Now I'm dead tired and in dire need of a nap."

"Ha! Glad to know I wore you out," Robert teased as I stuck my tongue out at him.

"Come here you knob," I smiled, crawling into bed.

He contemplated for a moment, before shrugging and climbing in with me," You're going to kill me."

I smiled and turned to my side, enjoying the feeling of Chase's arms around me. _This is a great start to the conference._


	8. Chapter 8

"And that concludes the conference for today, thank you all for coming and we'll see you tomorrow at eight."

Day one of the conference was done, and went a lot better than I expected. Granted, sitting through eleven hours of speeches and Q&A sessions was considered boring. I thought the entire thing was fascinating. Various doctors and researchers had spoken about cancer as a whole, and hearing their enthusiasm and dedication to finding a cure reassured me that I chose the right specialty.

"Well that was fun, let's do it again tomorrow. Oh wait," House said, turning to face all us.

"I thought it was interesting," I said, earning a quizzical look from House.

"Of course the cancer woman thinks the cancer conference is interesting. Sit next to Wilson tomorrow, you'll have a ton of fun."

With that, House hobbled away to speak with a group of doctors. I clasped my hands and turned to face Robert. "Well I'm going to change, and then we can go."

"Sounds good, I'll wait down here for you."

I pressed my lips to his and walked out of the room and towards the elevators. Robert, I think in a sleepy haze, asked me out to dinner tonight, our first real-out-in-public date. He said I could choose where we went, but to dress warmly; I was intrigued to say the least.

I hurried up to Cameron and I's room, and stripped out of my clothes. I hauled my suitcase onto my bed and began to search for something to find. I chuckled to myself at the unmade bed, remembering Chase's hasty exit last night.

After having sex again after our nap, we decided to lounge around, which proved to be a bad idea due to Cameron's arrival. As soon as I heard the card slide into the door, I all but threw Chase off the bed and rushed to find something to throw on. Somehow in the thirty seconds it took for Cameron to enter the room, Chase managed to put his pants back on, but was missing a shirt, and I lunged for a bathrobe on Cameron's bed.

It was awkward to say the least. I was mortified, Chase was confused, and Cameron was horrified. She threw Chase out right away, and made me promise that we wouldn't have sex again on this trip.

I blushed at the memory and continued to look through my suitcase. I remembered Chase was waiting for me downstairs, so I hurried my search. I settled on a pair of light-wash jeans, a cropped black t-shirt, and an oversized grey cardigan. I dabbed on some lip-gloss, fluffed up my hair, grabbed some gloves and a coat, and was out the door in three minutes.

I spotted Chase in the lobby, sporting a grey coat and a dark green beanie. My butterflies returned as our eyes met and he smiled. "Ready?"

"Yeah, let's go."

He grabbed my hand and we walked through the door into the stormy Chicago night. It wasn't odd for it to be snowing in November in Chicago, but I still wasn't used to it, despite previously living here. I huddled closer to Robert as we walked down the street, watching our puffs of breath in the air intermixing with the falling snow.

I sneaked a glance at Robert and felt my heart flutter. He hadn't shaved for a couple of days, which was apparent due to the stubble spreading out across his jaw and down his neck. Wisps of his blond hair peeked out of his beanie, making him look somewhat disheveled, but in a sexy way.

I turned away quickly, realizing I had been caught. "What, something on my face?" He joked as I blushed and bit my cheek.

The crinkles around his eyes when he smiled his adorable crooked smile made me melt. "No, you're fine," I murmured, directing my gaze to the ground.

Shortly after, I spotted a little Italian restaurant about ten minutes later, and I was beginning to lose feeling in my fingers so we decided to eat there. Robert was a gentleman, taking my coat and pulling out my chair for me.

"Hello, welcome to Davanti Enoteca. I'll be your server for tonight. Can I get you started with something to drink?" A neatly dressed man stated.

"I'll take anything," I said to Robert who picked up a menu and scanned through the list.

"Wine?" I nodded. "White?" Another nod. "Your best white wine, please."

The man nodded and walked away. Robert grabbed my hand from across the table and caressed my knuckles.

"What're you thinking about?" I murmured.

"How beautiful you look tonight." _Cue the blushing._ "I'm so glad I met you."

My insides were doing flip-flops, a new feeling washing over me that wasn't just lust. I leaned across the table and pressed my lips to his. "Me too."

/

Dinner was amazing. The food was great, and so was spending time with Robert; I think I was slowly falling head over heels for this man. He insisted he pay for dinner, and I obliged begrudgingly. I still felt I needed to maintain some degree of independence and pay for my own things, but then again, it was a date.

Soon we found ourselves walking on the sidewalk again. The streets were relatively silent, most people probably taking shelter from the approaching storm; I thought it was lovely. The only sounds were the occasional car driving by, and the sound of snow crunching underneath our feet. Our surroundings became familiar, the feeling of nostalgia I felt earlier creeping back.

"I know where we are," I said, releasing Robert's hand and walking forward.

I took my glove off and wiped the snow off of a nameplate in a brick wall, revealing an address; we were in my old neighborhood. I began to walk faster, looking for the familiar shutters and steps to the green door. I stopped dead in my tracks when I saw it, Robert almost running into my back.

"What is it?" Robert asked. I didn't respond, but instead felt tears prick my eyes. "Eliza, what's wrong?"

I shook my head and took a step forward. This is where it happened, where my entire world fell apart. _I still remember the sound, the screams._ I shudder at the memory and sniff. Robert is at my side in an instant, grabbing my face in his hands.

"I used to live there," I bemoaned, my gaze not leaving the green door. "My dad died there."

I thought I had moved past his death, the entire event that consumed my adolescence. That's why my family moved to New York, to move on. I hadn't seen this house since it happened, and I never intended on seeing it again. It was an eerie memory, the house taunting me with what could have been.

I turned abruptly, not being able to look at the house another moment. I buried my face in Robert's chest and released a sob I didn't know I had been holding. His arms were around me instantly, his hands combing through my hair, his lips whispering words of comfort. I cried harder into his chest, feeling like I was going to implode at any moment. It felt like my chest was compressing and I wasn't getting enough air, but I couldn't stop crying.

"Liza?" Chase said, a hint of panic in his voice. "Liza, you need to calm down."

I was gasping now, my chest heaving and the world was sinking away. Suddenly I was on the ground, joined shortly after by Chase. He pulled me between his legs and combed his fingers through my hair.

"Baby, you need to breathe."

I tried to calm my breathing but was unable, my tears falling harder and faster now. I began to panic, crying out of fear and the inability to regain my breath. Chase pressed his hand against my heart and placed mine over it.

"Listen to your heart, hear it beating. You need to calm down or you're going to hyperventilate," he stated, his medical training kicking in.

I closed my eyes and tried to focus my breathing, listening to the sound of Robert breathing and the feeling of my heart beating beneath Robert's hand. Eventually, my breathing began to slow and my tears ceased.

"Good girl," he cooed, pressing a kiss to my temple. "You're doing so well."

Several people walked by, to which we received odd glances from, but none of them bothered to stop. My breathing was almost back to normal now, but my eyelids drooped with sudden exhaustion, my limbs feeling like lead and my head spinning.

"I'm okay," I croaked, furiously rubbing at my smeared mascara.

Robert adjusted us so I was now sitting in his lap, facing him. My cheeks burned with embarrassment at my outburst and I didn't meet his gaze. He grabbed my face in his hands for the second time that night and rubbed his thumbs over my cheeks.

He pushed his forehead against mine and closed his eyes. "You scared me, love."

I brushed my nose against his and closed my eyes, my body slumping forward. "I'm fine." I wished I believed myself.

Seeing the spot where the incident happened stirred something inside of me that I hadn't felt before, a deep sense of despair and anxiety. I considered myself to be a relatively strong person, but I was not prepared to see this house again.

I pulled my face away from Chase and looked at the house again. A light turned on and my heart clenched. "I want to go," I whispered.

Robert was on his feet in an instant, crushing me to him as he pulled his phone out and called for a cab. I felt safe with Robert, but I was still uneasy, my eyes flickering to anything that made a sound and my fingers clenching into a fist when a man and his dog walked by.

"The car will be here soon," he said, his voice barely above a whisper.

I nodded into his chest as we rocked slowly side to side. I felt a headache forming behind my eyes from crying, and my limbs were beginning to feel heavier. This emotional trauma had definitely worn me out, and all I wanted to do was go back home to New Jersey and sleep for a week. I couldn't even fathom leaving the conference; I had to stay for the team. I could make it through one more day.

The cab ride back was quiet, the quiet hum of the radio buzzing in the background. I curled in on myself and pushed up against the window, my forehead pressed against the glass. I shied away from Robert's touch when he reached for my hand. My chest ached when I saw the hurt flash in his eyes, but did nothing to comfort him.

Even when we got back to the hotel, I walked several steps in front of Robert, not really in the mood to talk. We stopped in front of the door to Cameron and I's room, Robert brushing a piece of hair behind my ear, a comforting gesture.

"I'm down the hall if you need me," he murmured.

I shut my eyes and nodded, pushing the door open and closing it before Robert could say anything else. I maneuvered to my bed and sat down, not bothering to take my clothes off as I crawled under the covers.

I'm not sure how long I stared at the ceiling, my eyes occasionally flickering to the window. The sky was fading from black to light pink before my eyes, yet I barely registered time passing. It felt like I was in a daze; life was continuing on like normal, yet it felt anything but normal.


	9. Chapter 9

My coffee was turning white. The more I swirled my finger in the hot liquid, the milkier it got. I took a sip of the liquid and winced, _too sweet._ I put the mug down with a sigh and took another drag of my cigarette.

It was November 14th, exactly a week and a day after we arrived back from the conference.

After the incident back in Chicago, things had been well… off. Besides the fact that I was jumping at shadows, and really anything that moved, I had this nagging headache in the back of my skull, and my mood plummeted. I was able to get through work most days, but holed myself up in my room as soon as I got home.

After we got back from Chicago, I had confided in Emily about what had happened. She already knew about the accident; she was the first one I told back when we were undergrads. She had been as supportive as she could, but she still didn't completely understand, as she still had both of her parents.

Chase had been beyond irritating about the whole thing. He was practically breathing down my neck, always asking if I was okay or if I needed anything. I knew he was doing the best he could, given that I didn't tell him the whole story, but I just wanted to be left alone.

Work had been hell today. Our patient was diagnosed with Iatrogenic Kaposi sarcoma, and I was voted to be the one to break the news. Let's just say there were lots of tears, denial, and even some violence when the patient threw their shoe at me.

The team was planning to go out for drinks tonight, but I politely declined, saying I had an exam to study for. Robert was the only one who gave me an odd look, but said nothing.

" _You sure you'll be okay?" Robert asked, grasping my chin in his hand._

" _I'll be fine," I said, my voice not faltering with the lie._

That was the last time I spoke with him today.

I was currently sitting on my windowsill, one leg dangling out the window, the other tucked against my chest, and a cigarette in my hand. I hadn't smoked since high school, but in searching for my grey knit sweater, I came across a crumpled up pack of Marlboro Golds.

I inhaled, the smoke burning my lungs and bringing tears to my eyes. I shivered, suddenly wishing I had kept my leggings on instead of just wearing an oversized sweater. The air was crisp and felt nice to breath in, soothing my burning lungs in between drags from my cigarette.

I looked down at the people walking below, wondering about their lives and how they were doing. It's not that I was sad about what happened, I was traumatized more than anything, but that feeling was slowly ebbing away, leaving me in a state of indifference.

I flexed my fingers and studied the curves of my knuckles, admiring how simple my hands were, how simple life was. One minute it's there, the next it's gone. Maybe that's why I had become a doctor, to try to preserve and prolong life. If I had known what I know now, I could've saved him, made him more comfortable.

I sniffed and pushed those thoughts from my head, _no use in wallowing._ The air was getting chillier and my coffee was getting colder, signaling that I should head inside. I loved sleeping with my window wide open, especially in the winter. The feeling of being cocooned in warm blankets in a frigid outside was fantastic.

With that in mind, I hopped off of the stoop and tiptoed into the kitchen to dispose of my coffee. I lit another cigarette as I washed out the mug and placed it in the dishwasher. I glanced at the clock, its ugly red font reading 2:35. I should be asleep, but I felt too restless; I needed to walk.

As quietly as I could, I retrieved some leggings and my beat up pair of white, high top Chuck Taylors. My hair was a state so I threw that into a messy ponytail before grabbing a large gray wool coat. My mom thought it was the most hideous piece of clothing I owned, the sleeves reaching past my fingertips and a sizeable hole in the left pocket; I thought it was great. I grabbed my keys out of the bowl and was out the door without a sound.

Despite it being almost three in the morning, the streets were milling with people, particularly drunken college kids. I didn't have a set destination, so I began to walk, shoving my hands in my pockets, a cigarette held between my lips.

I'm not sure how far I walked, but I couldn't see my apartment anymore when I looked back. The area I was in seemed familiar though; something tugging me towards the end of the street and to the left: Robert's building. I knew I hadn't been fair to him in this whole thing, and didn't really feel like discussing my issues, but right now I wanted nothing more than to talk with Robert.

I found Robert's number and pressed the buzzer, cursing myself for remembering the time; he wouldn't be awake right now, no sane human should be awake right now. I waited and heard nothing, my heart sinking as I stepped down the single stair. I was about to light another cigarette when I heard the intercom.

"Hullo?" A sleepy voice asked.

I tucked my unlit cigarette behind my ear and rushed up the step, pressing the button to reply. "Robert, it's me."

The door buzzed open almost immediately and I let myself in, relishing in the warmth of the lobby. I made my way up to his apartment and suddenly felt nervous when I stopped in front of his door. _What the fuck am I doing here? He won't want to see me._

I swallowed my nerves and rapped lightly on the door. I heard footsteps and the lock unlatch, revealing a half-asleep, shirtless Robert. He seemed to snap out of his sleepy haze when he pulled the door open for me and locked it behind him.

"I'm sorry it's so late I just-"

He cut me off by crushing me to his chest, his hands running down my back and through my hair.

"You scared me," he whispered, pulling back and cupping my face in his hands. "What's wrong?"

"I just wanted to see you," I said quietly, feeling silly.

Recognition crossed over Robert's features as he offered me a small smile; I was letting him in. He grasped my hand and pulled me towards his room, shutting the door behind him. He walked over to his dresser and grabbed a grey t-shirt, pulling it over his head. I shrugged off my jacket and shoes, my leggings coming off as well, leaving me in just my oversized sweater for the second time this night. I climbed onto the bed and sat crisscross, waiting for Robert to return. He came back a moment later, also sitting crisscross across from me.

He didn't say anything, but his eyes urged me to talk. I took a deep breath before recounting my shitty memory. "I was seven when it happened, and right before Halloween. We were sitting on our front porch when we heard a commotion down the street. My dad went to check it out, leaving my sisters and me. That's when we heard it, the shot.

"I remember running over to him, calling his name. there was so much blood. The police said it was a hit and run, but my dad was still dead. Shot in the middle of the day, I mean how fucked up it that?"

I was shaking at this point, my fingers fumbling to grab the cigarette tucked behind my ear. I never enjoyed recounting this memory; it still felt as real as the day it happened. I reached next to the bed and into my coat pocket, pulling out my lighter and lighting the cigarette. I stood up off the bed and walked over to the window, wrapping an arm around myself. I knew I shouldn't have gone through an entire carton of cigarettes, but I needed something to calm me down, and Robert sitting immobile wasn't doing the job right now.

I wasn't used to telling people this shit and I immediately felt bad for dumping this on Robert; he probably had no idea how to deal with this. I glanced at him and saw him sitting in the same position. I finished my cigarette quickly and tossed the rest onto the fire escape, joining Robert back on the bed.

"Robert, are you okay?" I asked quietly, scooting closer to him.

His eyes flickered to mine and his mouth opened and closed. He didn't say anything, but pulled me onto his lap and wrapped his arms around me. I tucked my head into the crook of his neck and pressed my lips to his collarbone.

"My mom died."

I moved my head away from his neck and looked into his eyes. "What happened?" I asked, my eyes not leaving his.

"She drank herself to death," he said bitterly, turning his head away from me. "She just fucking left me with my asshole dad."

"Robert, I had no idea," I said, my hand brushing his jaw.

Robert didn't talk about his family. Ever. I knew his dad had been to visit about a month ago; House still teased him about it sometimes, like the ass he was. To be fair, I didn't really talk about my family either, especially about my dad dying, so Robert offering me any insight into his past was new.

I waited for him to respond, but he didn't. I shut my eyes and brushed my nose against him in an effort to prompt him to talk.

"She had no right to do that, to leave me." He said, his voice dripping with acid.

"He left me too," I murmured, referring back to my dad.

I wasn't angry at my dad for leaving us, but was angry at the entire situation. I hated the man that shot my dad, hated that I didn't do anything to stop him or to help either. I knew the past was the past and I couldn't change it, but I still wished sometimes that I could go back and redo that day.

I couldn't exactly empathize with Robert about his loss; my dad has been shot, he didn't drink himself to death. However, I still knew the pain that he went through, the denial, and the anger. By revealing this bit of information to me, I felt that Robert had essentially given up a piece of himself to me.

"I don't want to lose you, Eliza."

I pulled back and grabbed his face in my hands, "You won't lose me. You're going to be stuck with me for a long time."

Robert smiled at that and placed his hands over mine. "Good."

I pressed my lips to his, and then to the tip of his nose and around his jaw. He laughed when I grazed his neck with my teeth, so I placed a nice, sloppy kiss there instead. I rolled off of his lap and onto the bed, curling up into a ball, my eyelids drooping.

"Tired?" Robert asked amused.

"You're just so boring, you put me to sleep," I teased, squealing when he playfully punched my bum.

He reached over me to flick the light switch, leaving us in darkness. I uncurled from my fetal position and scooted over to him. I tangled our legs together and rested my head on his chest, his hand snaking up my sweater to rest on my stomach. I shivered in pleasure when he stroked my bare skin.

"Goodnight, sweetheart."

"Goodnight, Robert."

With that, I shut my eyes and slept soundly for the first time in a week.


	10. Chapter 10

" _You don't celebrate Thanksgiving?"_

" _I'm not American, and therefore do not celebrate Thanksgiving."_

That was the argument Robert had used against celebrating Thanksgiving. He was wrong of course; you didn't have to be American to eat a shit ton of food and hang out with family. Okay granted my family was in Chicago and Los Angeles and we couldn't all meet up this year to celebrate, but that didn't mean there wouldn't be a feast.

I convinced Robert to come over to my place so we could enjoy the holiday together. He had never been to a real Thanksgiving dinner, so I promised him I would provide the necessities if he provided the alcohol; he said he'd be at my place at two.

It was currently 1:46 and I was running around my house like a madwoman trying to get everything ready. Emily's plans for Thanksgiving fell through, so I invited her to our impromptu meal as well, to which she happily agreed to share with us. However, my plans for the day were slowly falling apart: I forgot to defrost the turkey, the dishwasher stopped working, and something on the stove was smoking.

"Jesus Liza, what are you doing?" Emily screeched as she ran into the kitchen to calm the smoking pot. "Why aren't you wearing any pants?"

In my haste to get everything ready, I might've forgotten to put pants on and was running around in an oversized t-shirt.

"I'm working on it," I whined, cranking the temperature for the oven to try and cook the turkey quicker.

"What the hell were you trying to cook here?" Emily asked in distaste as she scraped the concoction into the bin.

"Mashed potatoes," I said sheepishly. Emily glared.

"I'll remake them, you just keep an eye on the green bean casserole."

"Aye aye captain," I said with a grin and a salute.

My mom had taught me the secret to great green bean casserole when I was younger, and I had been making it for every Thanksgiving since. If everything were to go up in flames, I would make sure the green bean casserole survived. The oven beeped as someone knocked on the door.

"Could you get that?" I asked as I removed the casserole from the oven and cleared space for it on the counter.

"I'm kind of busy," Emily said, motioning to the food she was making.

I wiped my hands on a dishtowel and scowled all the way to the door. My mood instantly turned up when I saw Robert standing in the doorway, sporting jeans, a shirt and tie, and a tan blazer.

"So it's that kind of meal," he smirked, looking at my bare, pants-less legs.

I smacked his chest and grabbed the paper bag filled with alcohol he was holding, clutching it to my chest as I led the way to the kitchen.

"Our guest is here," I announced, after setting down the bag and pulling out a bottle of champagne.

Emily turned around from her work and blushed. "Hi Robert." _Hmm._

"Hey Emily," Robert greeted, pulling her in for a hug and a kiss on the cheek.

Emily stood immobile for a moment, before I cleared my throat and she quickly turned to continue cooking. I crossed my arms and tapped my foot, earning a chuckle from Robert.

"C'mere," he said, opening his arms for me.

I crossed the room and leaped into his arms, squealing when he lifted me off the ground in a hug. "Hi Robert," I laughed as soon as he put me down.

"Hey Liza," he returned, pressing his lips to mine.

I smiled into the kiss and pecked his lips several times before Emily cleared her throat. "Jesus get a room," she laughed. "Eliza, go put on grownup clothes."

I groaned and pulled away from Robert. "I'll be back in a sec."

I walked to my room and shut the door behind me. _What to wear, what to wear?_ I searched through my closet and pulled out a pink surplice top I had just gotten from Urban Outfitters. I pulled it on over my head and rummaged through my drawers for a pair of black skinny jeans. I put the whole outfit together with a pendant necklace one of my sisters had gotten me for getting into med school. I swiped on some mascara, fluffed up my hair, and left my room.

I entered the kitchen to see Emily with a spoon in one hand and a glass of wine in the other laughing hysterically at something Robert had said. _Another bad joke I assume._

"Okay, so can we eat now?"

"I don't think I'm ever going to eat again," Robert groaned.

"Me either. Too much pie," I replied with a groan.

"I could go for more food." Emily piped in. Robert and I looked at her as if she had grown wings.

Thanksgiving was a feast, and feast we did. I don't think I've ever had so much wine and pie in one sitting, and now I was suffering for it, on the verge of puking. Robert seemed to have enjoyed himself, which I was pleased about, but he too fell to the Thanksgiving spirit and ate too much as well.

Robert and I were currently strewn across the couch, his head resting on my stomach as I combed my fingers through his hair. Emily was snuggled into our large armchair, a glass of wine in her hand and a smile on her face. An American football game was on TV, as part of the tradition. I wasn't a big fan of football, and neither was Emily, but Robert seemed pleased so we left it.

I was dangerously close to going into a food coma, and against my better judgment, I shut my eyes. I was instantly asleep, and was thrown into a mix-match of dreams. I snuggled further into the couch when I felt a pair of lips press against my neck and then my nose.

Much too soon for my liking, my eyes fluttered open. I glanced around the room and noticed it was now dark outside. I looked over to the armchair to see Emily snoring away. Robert was still basically on top of me, his head now resting on my chest instead of my stomach. I didn't want to move him, but I really needed to pee.

As quietly and gently as possible, I shifted out from underneath his body and rushed to the bathroom. On my way back to the living room, I stopped and grabbed another slice of pie. _Oh what the hell, one more piece won't kill me._ I sat down in front of the couch and grabbed the remote, changing the station from the football game to the Discovery Channel; who doesn't want to learn about penguins?

I watched the penguin show for a couple of minutes before I heard something vibrating on the coffee table. I lunged for my phone before it could wake everyone up and quickly answered.

"Hello?" I whispered into the phone as I tiptoed out of the room and into my room.

"Eliza? It's Kathy." The voice on the other end spoke.

"Well hello dearest sister," I chuckled, sprawling out on my bed.

"How're things?" She asked, a loud bang sounding in the background. "Sorry, that was Nathan."

Nathan was my sister's two-year-old son, and man was he a menace.

"Um they're okay. I had dinner with Emily and my boyfriend." _Boyfriend? Was Robert my boyfriend?_

"Boyfriend? Eliza, what the fuck have you been doing?" Kathy asked seriously.

I cringed. "Yeah, we actually work together. His name is Robert," I said, not giving much away.

"That's it? What's he like? Does he treat you well?" _Here she goes._

"Yes he treats me well, Jesus you sound like mom." I chuckled. "Well, what can I say about Robert? He's tall, Australian, blond, and gorgeous," I said, pretending I was a preteen girl. I heard Kathy laugh and giggled along with her. "He's incredibly sweet, caring, intelligent, but don't let him tell you a joke, they're really bad."

"He seems great, Eliza. I'm sorry but I've got to run, Nathan got into the cranberry sauce. Love you! Here's Meg!" With that, Kathy was gone and I was put on hold.

I pulled my phone away from my ear and checked the time, 6:12. I heard the floor creak, signaling either Chase or Emily were awake. The phone crackled and I was taken off hold.

"Eliza! How are you?" Meg gushed into the phone enthusiastically.

I rolled my eyes and sat up. "Hello Megan. How's Cameron?"

Cameron was her fiancée of two years. You'd think they'd elope already, but nope, they had to be married at the perfect time at the perfect place, even if that meant waiting two years. Between Kathy's husband, Michael, and Cameron, Cameron was my favorite. Michael was a great guy; he took care of Kathy and Nathan and loved them unconditionally. Cameron, on the other hand, kept Meg grounded. Meg was everywhere at once, always wanting to do something new or different. Cameron kept her sane and I admired that.

"Oh Cameron's great, still dark and brooding." She said as I chuckled.

"Everything good with work?" I asked, twirling a piece of hair around my finger.

"Yep, work's good. I'm actually on a really big case right now. It's the third day of trial tomorrow, I can't really tell you anymore about it though. How's school going?" She asked sounding distracted by something.

"It's good. I've been working at a hospital near Princeton for this nutcase named Doctor House. He's an ass, but I love my job and my team is pretty cool."

"That sounds great. I actually have to go, but here's mom!" Meg said, handing the phone off.

"Eliza, honey?"

My throat tightened. "Hi mom," I said. "What're you doing in Los Angeles?"

"Oh the girls invited me down for Thanksgiving," she replied.

"That sounds like fun," I said, trying to keep my voice even.

"I miss you sweetheart," she said sadly.

I squeezed my eyes shut, willing myself not to cry. I hadn't seen my mother in over a year; stuff with school had gotten too complicated and I could never manage to see her. The guilt I felt about it ate away at me, and now I felt it weighing down on me again. I was so close to her in Chicago, but I couldn't will myself to see her after what happened, I didn't want her to hear about that or see what a mess I was.

I sniffed and gathered my wits. "I miss you too mom. So much."

I heard a knock on the door and pulled the phone away from my ear, holding it against my chest. "I'll be out in a second!"

"Eliza, who was that?" She asked worriedly.

"It's nothing. I have to go mom. I'll see you soon. I love you."

"I love you too."

With that I hung up and tossed my phone on the bed. I rushed over to the mirror to assess the damage of the call. My makeup wasn't running, my eyes weren't red, but I was flushed. I fanned my face and walked to open the door, a smiling Emily greeting me on the other side.

"Oh there you are. Did you fall asleep again?" She teased as I stepped into the hallway.

"No," I said a little too forcefully. "I was on the phone with Kathy, Meg, and then my mom."

She nodded and pulled me in for a hug. "Is everything alright?"

I pulled away and mustered a smile. "Yeah, everything's great."

"Well, I'm going to change into comfier clothes so I can eat my second dinner and not hate myself."

I giggled. "I'll do that too."

Emily turned and walked towards her room, while I retraced my steps and walked back to my room. I wriggled out of my skin-tight jeans and pulled my shirt over my head; the big t-shirt was making a reappearance.

After I finished changing, I walked back to the living room and saw Robert sitting on the couch, tapping away at his phone. He glanced up when the sound of my camera going off announced my presence.

"I was just going to start cleaning up, if you wanted anything else." I said, leaning against the doorframe and motioning towards the kitchen.

"I'll help," he said, standing up and tucking his phone into his pocket.

"You really don't have to," I said quickly, following him into the kitchen.

"I want to," he said, grabbing a plate and turning the sink on.

I huffed and began to clear the table. Soon, we got into the routine that Robert would wash the dishes, and I would dry. Something about wet, dirty food grossed me out, so I would squeal whenever Robert would rub my hand or dip my hand in the soapy water.

"What are you two up to?" Emily asked, walking in about fifteen minutes later. "I see you did the dishes."

"I should actually head home," Robert said, drying his hands on the towel.

"I'll walk you out," I said, watching Robert hug Emily. I met Robert in the entranceway moments later, a frown etched on my face.

"What's wrong?" He asked as I stepped into his awaiting arms.

I said nothing for a moment, enjoying Robert's arms around me. "I don't want you to go."

"Then I won't go." He said simply, a smile making its way onto his face. He pressed his lips to my forehead. "I'm not going anywhere."


	11. Chapter 11

"I didn't hire you to be an idiot!" House shouted, throwing a folder onto the table.

"You hired me because you said you needed me," I fired back.

"Yeah, I needed you to not be an idiot. Jesus you can't do anything right," House muttered.

I clenched my hands into fists and closed my eyes, exhaling slowly. Okay, so I screwed up one test that caused House to get blood sprayed on him, but no one died so I didn't see the problem. House of course had overreacted, going into a craze and blaming me for the patient getting worse. I knew I couldn't fight him on this, not without the possibility of getting fired, so all I could do was sit back and take it.

"It's not her fault," Foreman said, trying to cut in.

"Of course it's her fault. She's the biggest moron on this team, sorry Chase," House snapped.

"House, shut up." We all turned to the doorway to see Cuddy, her arms crossed over her chest and a frown on her face.

"But I didn't do it mom," House whined. "It was Eliza's fault."

"Eliza, what happened?" Cuddy asked, disregarding House's comment.

"I was drawing some blood and the vial slipped," I said. "I really don't see what the problem is."

"There is no problem, accidents happen. Now House again, shut up and keep working."

With that Cuddy was out the door and we were left in silence.

"Don't just stand there, go draw more blood."

Chase, Foreman, and I all left the room and walked to the patient's room. We were treating a woman named Susan who came in with a very high fever, headache, and constant vomiting. She had recently been to Morocco, so we were figuring she had contracted some sort of tropical disease. We arrived to a completely darkened room, and no sign of Susan.

"I'll go check this floor," Foreman said, rushing out of the room.

"I'll check out the first floor," Chase added, also walking out of the room.

Something wasn't sitting right with me, so I flicked on the lights and looked around the room. On the far left side, I saw Susan huddled in a corner, saliva trickling out of her mouth and her eyes wide with fear.

"Susan?" I asked cautiously, taking a step towards her.

She let out a low guttural sound but made no effort to move. I took another step and her eyes widened further. She broke out into a sweat as I finally moved to stand in front of her.

"Why are you out of bed? What happened?" I asked, crouching down in front of her.

I pulled out my light and shined it in her eyes, which was a mistake. She let out a scream and lunged at me, her mouth wrapping around my wrist and her teeth sinking into my skin. I hissed in pain and tried to shake her free, but her teeth were clamped down tight.

I knew I shouldn't have, but it was my only option unless I wanted my hand to be ripped off. I stood up and slapped her across the face, her teeth unclamping. She fell onto her back, but slowly tried to stand up. She was thrown back to the ground when she vomited violently, giving me enough time to call for help.

"I need some help in here!" I called, scrambling to grab some bandage to try and stop my wrist bleeding.

Two nurses rushed in and immediately sedated Susan, leaving her in a blood and vomited covered mess. After the way she just acted, I immediately knew what she had, but I was afraid to admit it to myself. I excused myself from the room and quickly rushed to the restroom to clean my wound.

I knew it was incredibly rare for another human to contract rabies from another infected human, but I didn't want to take any chances. I was moving quickly through the hall, the bathroom in sight, but was stalled to a halt when someone slammed into me. The sudden impact startled me, but two arms clasped my elbows to keep me from falling.

"Eliza? What happened?" Chase asked, his eyes widening at my blood soaked bandage.

"I'm fine, Robert," I mumbled, shaking off his hands and walking away.

I heard his footsteps and his hand pulled me to a stop again. "Is everything alright?"

"Everything's great. Susan just fucking bit me and I might have rabies. Overall an excellent day," I said, my voice dripping with sarcasm to hide the panic welling inside my chest.

"Let me see," he said, pulling me over to the side of the hallway and peeling my bandage away to reveal a swollen bite mark.

I felt queasy looking at it. I swallowed back bile as I snatched my arm away. "Happy? Now if you'll excuse me."

I swerved around him and made a dash for the bathroom. Once inside, I stumbled to a stall and lost the contents of my stomach. I tensed when a hand gently tugged my hair back, the other stroking my back. I groaned, as I got sick again, my eyes squeezing shut in discomfort.

"Robert," I croaked, my throat raw, "you're in the women's bathroom."

Before he could respond, I turned quickly and dry-heaved. I felt myself shaking as my body tried to purge itself to no avail. I had broken into a sweat and my hair was beginning to stick to my forehead.

After a few more moments of agony, I felt my stomach settle. "I'm fine," I whispered, pushing myself up to my feet, holding onto the wall for support.

"No, you're not. Come on, let's go see Steven," Chase said.

Steven was the Disease Prevention Specialist at PPTH; he would know what to do. Chase wrapped an arm around my waist as he led me out of the bathroom and to the first floor. I didn't dare look at my arm, or else I would get sick all over again. We arrived at Steven's office moments later.

"I'll be okay," I said, placing my hand on Chase's arm. "Go back to work."

"Eliza," Robert said, a hint of warning in his voice. Of course he wouldn't go back to work, that overprotective prick.

"Wait out here, I'll be back in a minute."

I knocked on Steven's door, and entered upon hearing his affirmation. I sat down in the grey plastic chair in front of his desk and twisted my fingers nervously. I had never been in this office, and never had plans of being in it. Steven was currently typing something on his computer, his eyes flickering between a file on his desk and the laptop in front of him. Steve was a nervous looking man. His glasses were too big for his small face, his jet blue eyes were a stark contrast to his almost porcelain skin, and the few wisps of black hair on his head.

"Can I help you?" He asked, never taking his eyes off his computer.

I began to recount the events that happened prior to my visit. He finally looked away from the computer when I mentioned a patient biting me. I told him my suspicions of her having rabies, to which he agreed with a nod and a grunt.

"What should I do?" I asked, worrying beginning to creep back.

"At this point in time," Steven began, pushing his glasses up his nose, "I suggest postexposure prophylaxis. A full course of HDCV vaccines and an immediate administration of RIG. Have you been vaccinated before for rabies?"

"No," I said, my voice a whisper. "What are the chances of contracting the virus?"

"Very slim. Contraction from another human has only been seen several times due to organ transplants. We'll keep an eye out and check fro symptoms, but you should be good to go after your last dose of HDCV on the fourteenth day."

I sighed in relief, but frowned; I wouldn't be out of hot water for two weeks. I thanked Steven, grabbing the slip with the required vaccines on it, and exited the office. The door slammed shut, startling Robert who had been sitting with his head in his hands. He stood up and walked over to me, a questioning look on his face.

"Wanna fix me up, Doc?" I smirked, waving the slip in front of him. He snatched it out of my hands and frowned as he read it over.

"Rabies? Babe, that's pretty serious."

"I'll be in the clear in two weeks. He said it's really rare to contract the disease, but I still need to be vaccinated," I said quietly.

Suddenly, Robert's lips brushed against my own as I sighed. I quickly came to my senses and pushed Robert away, a look of confusion sweeping his face.

"I might still be infected. No kissing."

"For two weeks?" He asked, exasperated. I nodded. "No sex?"

"Especially no sex," I said with a groan, resting my head on his shoulder.

Robert kissed the side of my head and groaned as well. "This'll be easy. Two weeks is nothing," he said, sounding like he didn't believe himself.

"Time to break out the porn," I teased.

/

Robert administered the first course of medicine, telling me to go home and get some rest, doctor's orders he claimed. I went to the office to collect my bag and coat, but was stopped by a tall figure at the door.

"Rabies, huh? Pretty cool." House said, inspecting my now gauzed up wrist.

"Yeah, super cool. Now if you'll excuse me," I said, snatching my wrist away from him.

"Not so fast Cujo," House said, grabbing my wrist and squeezing, digging his fingers into the bite marks.

"What the fuck is your problem?" I hissed, yanking my wrist away for the second time. "Do you enjoy seeing me suffer?"

"Is that a rhetorical question?"

"You're an ass," I said as I turned to walk past him, slamming the door behind me.

Robert insisted I stay at his place tonight, claiming that he needed to be able to easily access my wrist to see if the bite got infected. Despite telling him I was a med student who lived with another med student, he managed to coax me into staying with the promise of Thai takeaway and lots of wine. Plus his bed was amazingly comfy and I enjoyed sleeping next to Robert.

I pulled my Jeep into a spot in front of his place before hopping out. Robert gave me a spare key and told me he would be home a little after five, giving me two hours with nothing to do; I itched to go back to the hospital to see how Susan was doing.

I pushed her from my mind as I made my way up to the apartment, struggling to open Robert's door with my bad wrist and holding my bag and my laptop. With a final grunt, I pushed the door open and dropped my items onto a nearby coffee table. I shrugged off my coat and hung it on a hook, shedding my shoes, pants, and sweater as well. I walked to Robert's room and grabbed a flannel of a hanger in his closet.

I reveled in the smell and feel of the shirt. The sleeves went way past my fingertips, and the hem went to the tops of my knees, but it was comfy and I didn't care that I looked ridiculous. I meandered over to the couch and grabbed my laptop out of my bag, starting it up so I could finish a paper I had been writing about viral hemorrhagic fever.

By the time Robert got home, I was twelve pages in and on a roll. My fingers fluttered across the keyboard in a flurry of words and numbers, my eyes never leaving the screen. Robert had to actually shut my laptop and put it on the top shelf of his bookcase so we could have dinner.

True to his word, our night was filled with Thai food, wine, and no mention of rabies. I even got to wear the flannel to bed (he claimed that if I took it off, he wouldn't be able to control himself. This whole "no sex thing" was really getting to the poor guy.) Despite telling him I would keep the flannel on, I got too hot under all the covers and was forced to take it off. This resulted in me giving Robert a hand job and crossing my heart that I wouldn't take this t-shirt off.

I crossed my fingers.


	12. Chapter 12

"And you are rabies free, congratulations," Steven said, handing me a sheet with my test results.

I grinned and took the sheet from him, my eyes focusing on the large red NEGATIVE. I thanked Steven and stood up, exiting the office and walking to the elevator.

It had been two weeks since the incident with Susan, and I was officially rabies free. My life had been a little hectic ever since Susan bit me. The rest of the team was horrified about what happened, Chase especially. This time, however, I let him smother me, knowing it was in his nature. Also, it was nice to have him carry me around the apartment and get breakfast in bed.

After my first round of vaccines, we began to treat Susan for rabies. It turned out a monkey had taken a bite out of her hand in Morocco, which in turn caused the rabies. She was doing much better, and she even apologized for biting me.

I folded my result sheet and tucked it in my pocket as I entered the office. "There she is!" House said, a hint of acid in his voice.

I took a seat around the table and looked over to House, who had so kindly announced my presence to the team. "Here I am. What's up?" I asked, reaching for a bagel a tearing off a piece.

"Are you feeling better?" Cameron asked.

I shrugged. "Yeah, I'm rabies free."

"That's so great to hear, I'm so glad you're feeling better," House said with fake enthusiasm. I narrowed my eyes at him.

"So the patient fainted, again. His vitals are stable, but he's beginning to bruise on his left leg," Foreman said, tossing me the patient's folder.

"Go x-ray the leg and draw more blood. There's bound to be something interesting there," House said. We all got up from the table and began to file out of the room, but a cane stopped me. "Not you Holland. You're fired."

My head snapped around abruptly, almost causing Chase to crash into me. "What do you mean fired?"

"I mean you don't work for me anymore," House said as if he were stating the obvious.

I blinked several times. "Why?"

"You're a liability. You slow everything down and cause more trouble than you're worth. Goodbye, I hope I won't see you again."

I put my hands on my hips and stood in front of House. "First of all, you're the one that needed me, not the other way around. Second, you're a good for nothing jackass who avoids responsibility and dumps it in other peoples' laps. Lastly, fuck you."

House stared at me, but said nothing. Foreman and Cameron looked horrified, their eyes wide and their jaws down to the floor; Chase looked pleased, a smirk on his face. Eventually, House sauntered away, followed by Chase, Cameron, and Foreman, leaving me alone in the office. I was at a loss for words. Most of all, I was beyond confused as to why I got fired. I did everything I was told; I only screwed up a test once, and even successfully diagnosed and treated a patient by myself.

I ground my teeth together and blinked quickly, trying to clear my watery vision. _I will not cry, I will not cry._ I wouldn't give House the satisfaction of making me upset, so I grabbed my bag, hung up my white coat, squared my shoulders, and walked out of the office.

I took no notice of the people passing me in the hallway, my vision fixed on the ground. I wasn't sure what to do now, so going home seemed like the best option. I made a beeline for the locker room to grab my coat and car keys. I released a breath I didn't know I had been holding as I leaned against my locker. I opened my locker and began to take out my coat, only to be stopped by a familiar, well-manicured hand.

"Eliza," Emily started, grabbing my arm and pulling me down to sit on the bench with her. "I heard what happened."

I was fuming. "How the fuck did you hear what happened? It happened less than five minutes ago!"

"Well House shouting about it through the hallways kind of gave it away. I'm sorry."

"There's nothing to be sorry about," I mumbled. "I got fired, not kicked out of residency. I'll be moving to my OBGYN rotation soon," no hint of humor in my voice.

Emily frowned and wrapped her arms around me and squeezed. "The OBGYN isn't so bad, you'll probably have a better time than I did."

I stifled a giggle into her shoulder and squeezed her back. "Thanks, Em."

She unwrapped her arms and smiled. "Let's do something stupid tonight. We can get really drunk and-"

"Liza?"

I turned to see Robert, leaning against the lockers, his arms crossed. "I'll see you later," Emily murmured, leaving Robert and I alone.

"How're doing?" Robert asked cautiously.

"House is an ass," I said simply, grabbing my keys and shrugging my coat on.

Robert took a moment to answer, trying to gauge my reaction. "Yeah, everyone knows."

I slammed my locker a little more forcefully than intended. "I don't know what you want me to say," I snapped, my temper flaring up again. "Does it suck? Of course it does, but I'll get through it, like I've done plenty of times before."

"Jesus, I was just wondering," he said hotly. "You don't have to be such a bitch."

I narrowed my eyes at him. "Oh that's rich, coming from House's bitch."

He took a step forward. "What's that supposed to mean?"

I snorted and rolled my eyes. "It's no secret that you kiss House's ass. Maybe that's why you've been apart of the team the longest."

"So what if I kiss House's ass. At least I still have my job because of it."

"Bye, Robert," I said acidly, pushing past him and out of the locker room.

I was greeted by a gust of cold wind as soon as I left the hospital, my skin burning at the sensation. At that moment, nothing sounded better than getting drunk with my best friend.

/

"No more," I giggled, pushing the bottle of Jack Daniels back toward Emily.

"Oh come on, don't be such a pansy," she chided, shoving the bottle in my face. I sighed and took a swig from the bottle, grimacing as it burned my throat.

True to her word, Emily and I had gotten drunk as soon as she got home from the hospital. A few of the nurses Emily and I were friends with came over after their shifts as well, so our apartment was now filled with somewhere between fifteen and twenty people. Robert didn't contact me after our conversation in the locker room. Frankly, I didn't want to talk to him for a while.

"I'm going to mix myself something, you want anything?" I asked, hoisting myself off the couch and to the kitchen.

I clung to the wall to keep myself from falling as I made my way through throngs of people. I bopped my head along to some song that was playing through borrowed speakers as I put some vodka and some pink liquid into a cup. I took a sip and scrunched my face, way too much vodka.

I heard our front door open and close, more people filling into our apartment. I glanced at a few of their faces and realized I didn't know who they were. I elbowed my way through some people and approached a burly man.

"Excuse me, sir?" I said rather loudly, tugging on his sleeve. I was very polite when I was drunk.

He looked down at me and his face broke into a grin. "Hey great party."

With that, he walked away, leaving me just as confused as when I approached him. I shrugged my shoulders and went in search of the bathroom, taking sips from my drink. I was about two steps away when someone ran into me, spilling the rest of my drink all over the front my shirt.

"Sorry," some girl giggled before she was pulled away.

I wasn't sure what to make of this mess. My rational mind screamed at me to clean up, but my drunken mind told me to change my shirt and get more alcohol. Following my drunken mind's advice, I set my cup down and journeyed to my bedroom. Once inside, I peeled my soaked shirt over my head and threw it into my hamper (more like threw it at my wall and hoped it landed in my hamper). Standing in my leggings and bra, I rummaged through my closet for something else to where. I spotted a cropped muscle tee and yanked it from a hanger.

I struggled to pull the shirt over my head, _who the fuck puts so many holes in a shirt?_ I managed to get my head through one of the armholes when someone knocked on the door. With a groan, I threw the shirt on my bed and walked to the door. When I saw whom it was on the other side, I wished I were blackout drunk.

"Rob-Robert," I said, hiccupping. "What are you do-doing here?" I suddenly became very aware of how underdressed I was, so I crossed my arms over my chest. Robert frowned.

"Can we talk?" He asked, practically sliding through the slit in the door. I merely shrugged and stepped aside. My hands dropped to my sides.

"What's there to talk about?" I asked, or at least that's what I think I said. I don't think my brain and my mouth were connected anymore.

"Are you drunk?" Robert asked, a hint of amusement in his voice.

I shrugged again and nodded. "Yep. Very."

He shot me a disgusted look and moved away. "I'll talk to you later then." With that, he walked out of my room.

My brain was playing catch up as to what he said, but it managed to unscramble: "I'll talk to you never." It felt like a ton of bricks had hit me. _He never wants to see me again?_ _Well this just won't do._ I managed to open my door and walk around the apartment. I was very confused as to why I was getting so many odd looks, but ignored them as I continued to search for Robert. Someone thrust another cup of alcohol into my hands before I spotted him in the corner of our living room, his back turned to me. My heart hammered in my chest as I moved closer, taking a couple of gulps of whatever was in the cup before approaching him.

It was pretty much a blur after I took those last few sips of alcohol. I tapped Robert on the shoulder, my palms sweating as he turned to face me. His eyes widened a fraction as he looked me up and down.

"Eli-" He was cut off by me koalaing him.

"Robertpleasedon'tleaveI'msorry," I rushed, squeezing him tightly.

He seemed stunned for a moment: I might've knocked the wind out of him. Before I could begin to panic, he let out a breath. I unwrapped my legs from around his waist and slide down to the ground. The moment my feet touched the ground I attacked his lips, kissing him with everything I had in me. Robert still hadn't moved, but I felt him tense slightly as I nipped his bottom lip. I stood on my tiptoes as he wrapped his arms around me, eventually reciprocating my movements. When I'm drunk, I'm also more affectionate, which was demonstrated by me grabbing his crotch. He inhaled quickly, his eyes widening significantly at my action.

"Liza-stop-we-need-to-talk," he gasped when my lips moved to his neck.

"Later," I mumbled, attacking his collarbone.

He took my face in his hands, forcing me to stop and look up at him. I noticed we had acquired quite an audience now, a couple of people gaping at us, one guy even looked turned on.

"Bedroom," Robert whispered, grabbing my hand and pulling me out of the room.

Once inside my bedroom, I all but ripped Robert's clothes off, leaving him in nothing. I yanked my leggings off and tossed them aside, also slipping out of my panties and shucking my bra. I was quickly kissing Robert again as he led us to my bed. My lips never left his as he laid me down. I managed to flip over, so I was on top and he was on the bottom.

"I want to be on top tonight," I whispered, trailing my lips over his chest. However, Robert had other ideas.

He rolled me over and trailed his lips down my body. I dug my fingers into the sheets as he kissed the insides of my thighs. My hands settled in his hair as his tongue swirled around my clit. I moaned in pleasure, reaching my climax quickly. I made a mental note to apologize to Robert for almost ripping out his hair.

I thanked my lucky stars I still had condoms in my nightstand drawer. I pulled one out and ripped the foil packet open, rolling the condom onto Robert's cock. I motioned for him to roll over so I was on top once again; he willingly obliged this time.

It wasn't the nicest sex we've had, but rather hot, hard, and fast, probably built up from out pent up emotions, and not having sex for the past two weeks. It didn't take long for Robert to come, and I came again shortly after him, resting my head on his chest as we tried to slow our breathing.

I heard his erratic heartbeat and pressed a sweaty kiss to his chest. We didn't move for several moments, the muffled sounds of people talking and music playing filled the room.

"Eliza," Robert said quietly. "I quit."


	13. Chapter 13

Robert's POV:

"…lastly, fuck you."

I turned to look at Eliza, a smirk etched on my face. I was glad that she was standing up for herself to House, even if he was my boss. She also looked very sexy when she was angry, which I enjoyed. House and her glared at each other, but eventually House broke eye contact and walked through the door, Cameron, Foreman, and myself following.

"What's his problem?" I muttered to Cameron, who merely shook her head.

"I don't want to argue with House about this. I agree that Eliza's a weak link on this team, and I think he was right to fire her," she whispered harshly, earning a look from House.

"You're just saying that because you kiss his ass," I snapped.

She rolled her eyes. "Yeah, because I'm the one that kisses House's ass."

I opened my mouth to respond, but was stopped by a cane hitting my shin. "What the fuck, House?" I groaned, hobbling along to catch up with the team.

He said nothing, but continued along until we reached the patient's room. "I'll leave you to it. If you need me, I'll be taking a nap in Wilson's office." He hit me in the shin once more before departing. I swore under my breath and limped next to Foreman and Cameron.

"You should go talk to Eliza," Foreman muttered as he fiddled with the patient's IV.

"I will after we're done here," I said, trying to keep my voice even. I flipped through a chart and glanced over at our patient: a feeble woman who was asleep at the moment.

"Chase, we got it. Go talk to her," Cameron said, her eyes flickering to the door. "You didn't do anything to stop House earlier so…" she trailed off.

"What?" I asked, trying to understand what she was insinuating.

"You didn't really help save Eliza's job," Foreman said simply.

I opened and shut my mouth. "It's not like I could've done anything. House is my boss too," I argued.

"Yeah, but Eliza's your girlfriend, you should've at least defended her," Cameron replied, crossing her arms over her chest.

"I think I know what I'm doing, so why don't you both just piss off."

I slipped the clipboard more forcefully than I intended back onto the bed and left the room without another word. I was on edge; my boss was a complete dick, my teammates were dicks, but mostly, I was a dick for not doing everything Foreman and Cameron said. I didn't even think to defend Eliza this morning, what kind of a person just watches someone else get stepped on, especially when that someone was my girlfriend? I knew I needed to find her, but one problem: I didn't know where she was.

I briskly walked past the office, groaning when I didn't see her. My next guess was the clinic, the OBGYN to find Emily, and then I assumed she had gone home. I searched to no avail, and just when I pulled out my phone to call her, I saw Emily walking quickly into the locker room, a look of annoyance on her face.

I waited for a moment before entering; I didn't want to get my head bitten off by either Eliza or Emily for interrupting their conversation. For the next three minutes I pretended to read charts and make calls before finally becoming too impatient and walking into the locker room. I spotted Emily and Eliza talking and instantly retreated, not fast enough however. I knew Emily had spotted me when I walked in, so I had no choice but to interrupt now.

"…we can get really drunk-"

"Liza?" I asked cautiously, unsure of either woman's reactions.

I leaned against the locker casually, trying to make it seem like I hadn't just walked in on their conversation. By the look Emily gave me as she walked past, I knew we would have a talk later.

I looked at Eliza and sighed. "How're you doing?"

"House is an ass," she said, grabbing her keys and pulling on her coat.

I waited a moment before responding. "Yeah, everyone knows," I said, a hint of humor in my voice.

She slammed her locker at the same time I pushed off against the lockers and moved to stand in front of her. "I don't know what you want me to say," she said hotly. "Does it suck? Of course it does, but I'll get through it, like I've done plenty of times before."

I could tell she was trying to control her temper by the way her face flushed and how she gripped her keys a little more tightly. What I didn't understand is why she was getting so angry with me for asking a simple and question and trying to sympathize with her.

"Jesus, I was just wondering. You don't have to be such a bitch." I bit my tongue after I said that last statement, instantly wishing I could take it back.

She narrowed her eyes at me, her mouth shaping into a scowl. "Oh that's rich, coming from House's bitch."

She was just provoking me at this point, trying to start an argument because she just dealt with a shitty situation. However, I was once again confused as to why everyone kept hinting that I worshipped the ground that House walked on. The guy was a huge ass, and there was a reason I was the first to get picked for the team, and why I had been on it the longest. Yes, I did do everything House said, usually without question, but that's what all employees were supposed to do, right?

"What's that supposed to mean?" I asked, my temper flaring as well.

"It's no secret that you kiss House's ass. Maybe that's why you've been apart of the team the longest," she said, rolling her eyes.

"So what if I kiss House's ass? At least I still have my job because of it," I snapped.

She stared at me, _the phrase 'if looks could kill' comes to mind._ I saw a flash of hurt behind her eyes, but she covered it quickly by deepening her scowl. I knew I had touched a nerve with that, but it's what she wanted to hear. Before I could say anything else, she pushed past me.

"Bye, Robert," she hissed on her way out.

 _Fuck._

 _/_

I hadn't talked to Eliza ever since we talked at the hospital. Several times while in the office, I had to clench my hands to prevent myself from calling her and apologizing. Eliza was one to hold a grudge, so I would definitely have to be the one to apologize first. However, I wanted to wait for things to simmer down before trying to talk to her; she could be a bit irrational when she was angry.

I knew I should've called before coming over, but then again, I was never one to plan ahead. At the last second before turning onto my street, I decided to go see Eliza so we could talk. Talking to her in person was probably a better idea than trying to call her.

It had begun to flurry as I made my way up the steps to the front door. I smiled at the doorman and continued up to Eliza's apartment. There were quite a few more people than normal milling around the lobby, which I found odd. My suspicions were confirmed that there was a party going on when some woman answered the door and threw herself at me. I pried her off of me and wove throughout the masses of people, breathing a sigh of relief when I spotted Emily leaning against the wall.

"Emily," I breathed, smiling slightly when I noticed just how much she had to drink.

"Robert!" She yelped, wrapping her arms around me and pressing sloppy kiss to my cheek. She pulled away and took a sip of her drink before continuing. "Eliza's in her room. She hasn't come out for a while so she's probably sleeping. Okay have fun." With that, she walked away to go talk to a stiff man in an even stiffer suit.

I murmured 'hellos' to several nurses and doctors I recognized from the hospital as I made my way to Eliza's room. I ran a hand through my hair and straightened out my shirt before knocking on the door. I heard a crash and was met moments later by a shirtless Eliza.

Her eyes widened slightly at the sight of me. "Rob-Robert. What are you do-doing here?" She asked, crossing her arms over her chest, obviously embarrassed. I frowned.

"Can we talk?" I asked, trying to squeeze myself through the slit in the door.

She shrugged and let me pass through the door unharmed. "What's bear who walk awout?"

I raised an eyebrow and smirked. "Are you drunk?"

"Yep. Very." She responded, looking pleased with herself.

A wave of disgust hit me. _Of course she's drunk, that's how she copes._ I knew we wouldn't get anywhere with her being so incoherent, so I abandoned my attempt at talking. "I'll talk to you later then."

I walked out of the room and shut the door behind me. Due to the fact that I didn't have a job anymore, I felt like celebrating. After Eliza had stormed out of the locker room, I sat down and thought hard about what she said. I mulled over the mutual idea that I worshipped House, and was ashamed of myself. I didn't go through med school and move to the United States just to be treated like dirt by House. There were much better opportunities for me elsewhere, and truthfully, I was getting bored with diagnostics. Before consulting House about my decision to quit, I conferred with Cuddy. She assured me that I could quit, and even offered me a position in the emergency room until I found a new position, even insisting I stay at PPTH.

House was less than thrilled when I told him I was quitting. Of course he criticized my work, claiming he didn't need me anymore, and that I could find a new master. I but my tongue, said thank you, and left his office once and for all. I didn't allow myself to think about what I had just done. So what if I had just given up a great fellowship? I was happy with my decision and didn't want to worry about anything for a little while. I was set to pick up my last paycheck later next week, so I had some time to figure stuff out.

As I drove to Eliza's I debated whether or not I should tell her tonight that I quit. She would probably be horrified that I followed her lead, angry that I was being an idiot, and surprised most of all that I actually had the balls to quit the best job I've ever had. However, my plans were shot when I discovered Eliza couldn't even talk.

After leaving Eliza's room, I made my way to the kitchen and grabbed a beer from the cooler, twisting off the cap and taking a gulp. A nurse named Christine waved me over to her. She had mentioned being interested in House's practice, and I was more than willing to tell her about it. We chatted for a bit in the corner, about House, and the hospital, but mostly House. I could tell she was flirting with me by the way she brushed my arm and giggled whenever I said something I thought was funny. I was just finishing telling her about the time a patient puked on House when she suddenly stopped laughing. I felt someone tap my shoulder and turned to see what he or she wanted. To my surprise, I saw Eliza, still shirtless.

"Eli-" I was cut off by her jumping on me and wrapping her legs around my waist.

I was surprised more than anything by her attack. I let out a breath I had been holding as she slid down and landed on the ground. She crashed her lips to mine and kissed me fiercely, or trying to, her lips were all over the place. I tensed slightly as she tugged on my bottom lip, but soon began to kiss her back, wrapping my arms around her in the process. I inhaled sharply as she grabbed my cock.

"Liza-stop-we-need-to-talk," I moaned as her lips moved to my neck.

"Later," she mumbled into my collarbone.

I knew she wouldn't stop now, hell I didn't want to stop now, but we had attracted an audience. I took her face in my hands and forced her to look at me. I couldn't stop the small smile from breaking onto my face as I looked down at her flushed face. I loved that whenever I kissed her, her face would flush a deep scarlet, and her eyes would light up, changing them from their usual dark blue to an almost sky blue shade. I could feel my cock straining against my jeans as I whispered "Bedroom."

I practically dragged her to the bedroom and remained silent as she undressed me. She undressed quickly and attacked my lips again. I maneuvered us to the bed, our lips never disconnecting as I gently laid her down. She grabbed my biceps and forced me to roll over, so she was on top.

"I want to be on top tonight," she whispered, pressing her lips to my chest. I don't think I've ever been that turned on in my entire life.

Before things could progress, I flipped her over so she was once again underneath me. I trailed my lips between her breasts and over her stomach, eventually settling between her thighs. I heard her moan as I moved my mouth over her clit, working it gently at first, and then more roughly. She gasped my name as she came and tugged on my hair. I heard her riffle through her drawer and pull out a condom. She hastily rolled it on and motioned for me to roll over again; I happily obliged.

I entered her quickly, our thrusts erratic and our breathing heavy. Not having sex for two weeks made my cock ache, each thrust dulling the pain as I groaned. I pressed my lips to her as I came, breathing her name into her lips. She came again shortly after, hot and heavy this time. I remained inside of her as she laid her head down on my chest, our breathing still erratic. I felt her lips touch my chest, but didn't move. I was in such a state of bliss, I couldn't believe I let these words slip out of my mouth: "Eliza, I quit."


	14. Chapter 14

The music was getting progressively louder outside and my thoughts were getting more jumbled as I pulled away from Robert and sat on the edge of the bed. I looked at Robert in confusion. _What, did he really quit?_

"Why?" I asked finally.

A crash sounded at the door and we both turned to look. Robert hastily slipped his boxers on while I continued to sit. He tossed me his shirt, motioning for me to put it on. I slid the fabric over my head and pulled on my panties as well; no one was getting a show tonight. Robert gently grasped my arm and tugged me so I was sitting in front of him. He seemed at a loss for words for a moment.

"It felt right," he replied, sounding unsure. I narrowed my eyes.

"It felt right? Why did it feel right?" I probed, scooting an inch closer.

He shifted, his eyes averting from my own; he was uncomfortable. "I was tired of getting fucked over by House, okay? I deserve to be treated better."

"This isn't because of what I said, is it?" I asked quietly, thinking back to when I told Robert he was House's bitch.

I wasn't going to deny that it wasn't true, because it was. Robert did everything House asked him to do without hesitation and rarely complained. Foreman and Cameron teased him mercilessly about it, but he kept on doing it. Yes, he was the first one hired to the team and had been on it the longest, but was that only because he kissed House's ass? I certainly didn't think so, well not completely. Robert was an amazing doctor and he deserved his spot on the team. He proved everyday that he was a valuable member to the team, and he did it without complaint. Maybe willing obliging to all of House's whims made Robert a good employee.

"No, it's not because of what you said. I just think there are better opportunities out there for me and I maybe want to try something different."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes I'm sure, why wouldn't I be?" He asked, his tone defensive.

I held up my hands in defeat. "I'm not trying to argue with you. I'm just trying to figure out why you quit right after me."

"I didn't quit because of you, if that's what you're thinking," he scowled.

I glared at him. "Why do you do that? You always deflect."

"I deflect?" He asked, trying to surpass his anger and failing.

"You know what, never mind," I seethed.

"Oh, and you say I'm the one that deflects?" Robert snorted; his voice lacked any humor.

"You want to know what I really think of you quitting?" I asked. He raised an eyebrow, which I took to mean continue. "You need to fucking stand up for yourself for once. Jesus, quitting was probably the worst thing you could've done."

"The worst thing? Quitting proved that I wasn't House's pet. It proved that everyone was wrong," he said acidly.

I clenched and unclenched my hands. "Don't you get it? You quitting means that you care more for me than your job, and that shows weakness, which you know House preys on."

"You're saying I shouldn't have quit? That caring for you is a bad thing" He asked, stunned by what I had said.

"No, you're putting words into my mouth. You quit for the wrong reason, not that you shouldn't quit."

"You think I'd be better off working for House?"

"Yeah, I do."

"Well," he said standing and grabbing his pants, "You're just as fucked up as House if you think that. I've got to go."

With that, Robert walked out of my room after slamming my door shut. I was fuming. I was certainly not done talking to him, and he had no right to walk out of an argument like that. Fueled by anger, I barged out of my room and rushed through my apartment. I noticed people staring at me for the second time that night, but was not concerned about how I looked at the moment.

"ROBERT CHASE YOU GET BACK HERE RIGHT NOW!" I yelled through the apartment, earning looks of surprise and confusion from the partygoers.

I heard a crash and then a door slam. I rushed to the foyer and opened the front door, looking down the hallway; I saw Robert booking it out of the building. I wanted to go after him, but my body wasn't exactly in sync with my mind at this moment, so instead I retreated back inside. People continued to stare at me strangely as I made a beeline for my room. Once inside I flung my window open as wide as it would go and peered down to the street below.

"You're a coward!" I yelled out to Robert, who was walking towards his car. "You're a fucking coward and you know it!"

I saw him begin to turn, probably think better of it, and hastily get into his car and drive away. My eyes welled up with tears of frustration as I slammed my window shut. _Tip for next time: don't drink alcohol before a fight._

 _/_

"Eliza, we need you to prep for surgery. Follow Doctor Rubin and he'll explain the situation."

I tucked my hair behind my ears and made my way over to Doctor Rubin, the lead liver specialist, who was currently talking to a nurse and flipping through a chart. I cleared my throat as soon as the nurse left, to alert the Doctor of my presence.

"Ah, you must be Eliza. Come, follow me."

I nodded and stuck out my hand, his large hand clasping my smaller one. We exited the emergency room and made our way up to the OR. As we walked, Doctor Rubin explained to me what I should expect to happen and what I would need to do in order to assist with the surgery. A twelve-year-old girl was getting part of her liver removed and I was asked to help out with the procedure. I had helped out during other surgeries, but Doctor Rubin informed me that the main doctor who would be doing the operation was also in training; I was merely a stand in incase something went wrong.

We arrived to the OR where Doctor Rubin left me, muttering about needing to fill out some paperwork. After sterilizing, I was informed that the surgery was about to begin and that I should enter the room. I slipped my mask over my face and followed several nurses into the room, only to be greeted by a smiling House. I kept myself from rolling my eyes and moved to the opposite side of the room. _So if House was the one supervising the operation, who was actually performing the surgery?_ A moment later, my question was answered when Robert walked in. His eyes immediately found mine across the room. After a moment I quickly averted my gaze to the ground and moved to my left, allowing a nurse to pass in front of me.

I hadn't talked to Robert in eleven days. Eleven days since our argument, and eleven days since he walked out of my apartment. He had made no effort to reach me, so I employed the same courtesy. The day after our argument, I woke up with a raging headache and fuzzy memories from the night before. Work was even worse that day: Robert had just started his temporary job as an attending doctor for the ER. By some miracle, I had managed to avoid him fro eleven consecutive days, even though we worked in the same department; if that's not stealth then I don't know what is.

I was still so angry with him for what he said, but I was also angry with myself for how I reacted. Thinking back to it, our argument had come out of nothing but me trying to get Robert to admit that he weak, despite the fact that he wasn't. However, I wasn't exactly ready to forgive and forget yet, and apparently neither was Robert.

"Liza? Eliza?" Someone called as I snapped out of my thoughts.

"What?" I said quickly, my thoughts dispersing.

I heard someone giggle. "The syringe, give me the syringe." Robert said, pointing to the syringe on the table nearest me.

I murmured an apology and thrust the syringe towards him. The surgery was pretty normal: the patient was put under anesthesia while Robert removed a sizeable chunk of her liver. I wondered why she had to get this invasive surgery, but held my tongue from asking House, who had been glaring at me during the entire procedure. Once the piece of liver was removed and the girl was stitched up and rolled out of the ER, I could finally let out a sigh of relief. I peeled my mask and gloves off and went to go wash myself off.

"Hey," a voice said cautiously, startling me slightly.

"Hi," I replied, my voice foreign and awkward.

Robert nudged me so he could also wash his hands. "You did well in there."

I tipped my head in acknowledgement and continued to wash my hands. We washed our hands in silence for a few moments, but I felt my resolve cracking before me. "We need to talk."

Robert remained quiet but eventually gave a nod. "Yeah, that's probably a good idea. Tonight?"

I brushed over my schedule in my head and groaned. "I can't tonight, I have yoga at seven."

He pursed his lips in concentration. "Now?"

I checked the clock on the wall and read 4:23. The surgery was supposed to end at five o'clock, so I didn't have to go back to the ER until then. I nodded and motioned for him to lead the way as we wandered down the halls and finally into a vacant office. Robert immediately leaned on the desk and crossed his arms. I lingered by the door incase I needed to make a quick exit, but thought that was stupid.

"Robert I'm sorry-"

"I want you to move in with me-"

I gave him a puzzled look and tilted my head, not sure I head him correctly? "What?"

He looked surprised at what I said, maybe even more surprised than I looked at that moment. "You go first."

I wrung my hands and began to pace, abruptly turning to face him when my courage was at its peak. "I'm sorry about what I said. I had no right to say any of that stuff and you should be allowed to do whatever you want without me holding you back."

I had hoped that the lull in conversation would spur him to talk about the argument, and after a minute, I was beginning to lose hope. "I'm sorry too. I overacted and blew things was out of proportion. You had every right to say what you said and I always want you to tell me what you're thinking, good or bad." He said earnestly. Just like that, my anger fizzled away and I was left feeling tired and burnt out.

I moved towards him and instantly sighed in content when he wrapped his arms around me and pressed his lips to the crown of my head. "Everyone fights, it's no big deal. We'll work through more things like this and it'll be fine." He said quietly, his fingers tracing patterns on my back, goose bumps rising underneath my scrubs.

I let my eyes flutter close and leaned my head against his chest. "What was the other thing you said?"

"What thing?" He asked nonchalantly.

"You know," I prodded, pulling my head away from his chest so I could look at him.

"Oh, um, I was hoping you would, um, move in with me?" He asked, his cheeks turning a light shade of pink.

"We've only been dating for two months," I said quietly, reality crushing down on me. "What would Emily do? How would I help her and you pay for rent? What if-?

"Shh," Robert said pressing a finger to my lips. "Just think about it, okay? You don't have to decide right away, but of course you know what I want you to do," he said with a smile.

My face also broke into a smile as I wrapped my arms around his neck. "But you're biased," I said, leaning in.

"Of course I am, but I still want you to," he murmured, his lips brushing my own.

I was tired of rationalizing everything that could go wrong or what I would do, so instead, I simply said, "Okay."


	15. Chapter 15

I grinned triumphantly. "I think we're done."

I turned to face Robert and frowned when I saw him asleep on the couch. I rolled my eyes and slipped quietly into the kitchen, grabbing a beer from the fridge and plopping down on the couch, accidentally jostling him awake. He blinked sleepily as I giggled, taking a sip from my beer.

"Have a nice nap?" I teased.

He looked at me and then around the room. "Fuck."

While Robert was enjoying his nap, I was busy moving my stuff into his apartment. _Or should I say our apartment…_ I didn't need to bring a lot of stuff, Robert already having all of the essentials; I just needed to bring my clothes and some personal items. I did leave a considerable amount of my belongings at my old apartment, which Emily wasn't too pleased about.

When I told Emily about Robert asking me to move in with him, she was less than thrilled. She fussed over who would help her to pay rent and then complained how she wished she had a boyfriend whom she could move in with. Most of all, she was concerned that Robert and I were moving too fast. I knew she was just being protective, but I assured her anyways that I was fine. I had also promised to continue to help her with the rent until she found another roommate or she downsized. We were planning to go out for drinks tonight with Emily and her new man-friend, but I roped Robert into going furniture shopping with me, which is how we ended up at Ikea.

"Oh look at this! This is so cute! We could put this in the kitchen, or maybe the bathroom," I gushed, holding up a turtle-shaped soap dish.

Robert groaned in response and continued to walk down the aisle. I flipped over the dish to see how much it was a grimaced. I put it back on the shelf and walked towards Robert, looping my arm through his.

"This is fun, isn't it?"

The look he gave me said he wasn't having fun. "Tell me again why we have to get this stuff?" He asked, grabbing a loofah out of my hand that I had picked up, and putting it back on the shelf.

"We're here-" I began, tugging him to a halt when I spotted a cute crockpot. I reached on my tiptoes to grab it, but ended up murmuring a thank you to Robert when he grabbed it for me. "-Because you don't live in a bachelor pad anymore and it's very cave-like in there."

He furrowed his brow. "I thought you liked my apartment?"

I put the crockpot on a lower shelf and looked at him. "It looks great when I close my eyes while you're fucking me. Besides that, it's a cave," I said, tugging him forward to the bath section.

He opened his mouth to respond, but was cut off by the ringing of his phone. "Hello?" He asked, unlooping his arm from mine and placing it on his hip. He furrowed his brow once more as he moved his hand from his hip to the bridge of his nose. He signaled that he had to take the call and walked away, leaving me to find new towels for the bathroom.

I was curious as to who was calling Robert and why he looked so distressed. I ran my hand over a particularly fluffy set of bath towels before snatching them and throwing them in the cart. I wandered down the res of the aisle, and then the next one and the next. I made it all the way to the outdoor furniture when I began to worry; I hadn't seen Robert in almost thirty minutes. I thought I hear his voice a couple of aisles down, so I abandoned the cart and followed the sound. I found him pacing back and forth, his voice a whisper. He turned to face me and murmured a 'goodbye' into the phone.

"What is it?" I asked quietly, stepping towards him.

"It's my dad," he stated, his mouth curving into a frown. "He only has a week left to live."

It felt like the air was sucked from the room as I opened and closed my mouth. "How?" I managed.

"Lung cancer."

I wrapped my arms around Robert, my short arms and minimal height making the gesture a bit awkward. At this moment, our roles were reversed: I was the one consoling Robert over the loss of a loved one, instead of him listening to me about my father; this was happening right now. He stood immobile, his arms hanging limply at his sides.

"I need to go see him."

"Okay," I said into his jacket before pressing a kiss to his chest.

Robert eventually wrapped his arms around me and dropped his head onto my shoulder. Robert's relationship with his father was less than ideal, and I'm sure he was also in shock from what he had heard, also suppressing the urge to be sad. I cradled his head the best I could and whispered words of comfort to him. We must've looked a sight, but I really couldn't care less what other people thought. Robert unwrapped his arms from around me and we both turned to leave.

/

"You have everything? Passport? Suit?"

Robert frowned and nodded. "Yeah."

After the episode in Ikea, we rushed home so Robert could pack. He bought a plane ticket for the last flight to Sydney and soon after I was driving him to the airport. We were currently standing in the terminal, which was unusually crowded for a Sunday. The mood was somber; Robert barley speaking on the drive over, the only sound in the car was the hum of the radio.

I wrapped my arms tightly around him and his around me. "Be safe," I breathed.

He squeezed me tightly and pressed his lips to mine. "I'll be back in two weeks, stay out of trouble." His voice lacked humor.

We broke apart so he could go through security. He gave me a final nod and got in the line for security. I tapped my foot as I watched him move through, my heart clenching with every step he took. He was next to go through security when my heart lurched.

I weaved through the line as quickly as I could, apologizing as I went. "Robert," I gasped once I reached him.

"Liza?" He asked in confusion.

I wrapped my arms around his neck and smashed my lips to his. "I love you."

I unwound myself from him and offered a smile before retreating to the exit of the airport. I smiled to myself as I walked through the doors, sneaking a glance back at him. He was still frozen in place, his mouth open as if to say something. However, he was uprooted from his position by security and was forced to maneuver through security. I watched him disappear before turning once more and walking out to my car.

The drive home was silent. I parked quickly and hurried up to the apartment. I had forgotten that Emily was coming to pick me up for drinks soon. I searched through the closet for something to wear, settling for a big sweater and some acid wash jeans. I kept my hair down and didn't even bother with makeup.

Emily picked me up moments later, her man-friend absent much to my surprise. "Where's Gale?" I asked once I sat down in the front seat.

"Home sick with the flu. He called this morning," she mumbled. "But now this means we can hang out? So I was thinking Calico's?" She asked, her mood taking a complete 360.

"Um, sure. Sounds good," I replied, my eyes focused on the brewing storm outside.

Emily chattered about her day for the rest of the drive I interjected when there was a lull in conversation, and then she was off again. Another thing I loved about Emily: she was rarely silent unless she needed to be.

The bar was nearly empty by the time we arrived. Emily immediately ordered two beers as we slid into a booth in the back corner. We were served shortly after and Emily raised her bottle in a toast. "To new beginnings."

I clinked my bottle against hers and took a long pull. I drummed my fingers against the table, the first moment of silence filling the room. "So…" Emily trailed off.

"Robert said he's sorry for bailing tonight, something came up," I said lamely.

"What came up?" She piqued.

"His dad is sick. He flew out to Sydney this afternoon," I said with a sigh, taking another sip of my beer.

She sputtered as her eyes widened. "He flew all the way out to Sydney? For how long?" She asked once she regained her breath.

I frowned as I twirled my finger around the top of the bottle. "He said two weeks, but who really knows."

"I'm so sorry Eliza," she said sincerely, placing a hand on my forearm and squeezing it gently. "There's still room back at my place if you want to stay."

I brought my eyes up to meet hers. "Thanks, but I think I'm going to stay at my place tonight; make sure everything is in order and whatnot."

She took a sip and nodded. "Of course. My door is always open if you need to stay."

"Thanks, Em," I murmured, capturing her in a bine-crushing hug.

"Do you work tomorrow?" She asked, changing the subject.

"I have a morning shift, but then the rest of my afternoon is free. Why?" I piqued, after finishing off my beer.

"My seminar ends at like three if you want to maybe hang out? I feel like I haven't hung out with you alone in forever," she joked, though I could sense the jealous tone beneath her words.

"Yeah, definitely," I replied, hoping my answer would satisfy her.

She smiled and asked the waiter for another round of beers.

/

"You got there okay? How's everything?" I asked as I cradled the phone against my ear and moved wet clothes over to the dryer.

I heard a buzzing in the background, which I assumed were the many patrons at the airport. "Yeah I got here fine, everything's good. I'm waiting for the car to pick me up right now. How're things back home?" Robert asked.

I slammed the dryer shut and shifted the phone my shoulder to my hand. "I went out for drinks with Emily still which was nice. I think she's a little jealous," I replied.

"Jealous of what? That I get you all to myself?" He teased.

"Hmm that might be it," I chuckled into the phone.

"Hey, babe, my car's here. I'll call you later."

With that, the phone call ended and I was brought back to reality. After Emily dropped me off at home, the storm outside decided to hit full force. Fat snowflakes pelted the windows with a quiet _pitter-patter_ , which I found to be quite soothing. I had traded my too-tight skinny jeans and big sweater for a pair of old leggings and one of Robert's t-shirts. Even though he wasn't there, it was comforting to be wearing his shirt, almost as if he hadn't even left.

I went to bed that night cold and alone. I kept replaying the conversation Robert and I had over the phone earlier that evening. I told him I loved him, but when he has to go I get an 'I'll call you later.' It felt right to tell him and I had no regrets, but doubt was creeping up from the back of m mind.

It was strange to not be sleeping next to someone when for so long you had to share your bed. I missed the way Robert and I's legs intertwined when we were sleeping and how his hand always managed to make its way up my shirt to rest on my stomach. _Two weeks,_ I repeated to myself, _that's it._


	16. Chapter 16

Christmas was a lugubrious affair. With Robert out of the country and my family on the other side of the country, I spent the holiday with Emily and her family. Don't get me wrong, I adored Emily's parents and three younger brothers, but I wished my family and Robert were here. It was a quiet affair, Emily's father getting drunk during Christmas dinner was hilarious, and Emily's youngest brother Jordan getting sick from drinking too much eggnog; just your normal, run-of-the-mill Christmas.

Even though Robert wasn't here to spend Christmas with me, I decided to spruce up the apartment with some decorations. Emily and I went out and bought a small Christmas tree, which I put in the corner of our living room and strung it with beads and ornaments. It wasn't the nicest looking tree, but it added a nice holiday feel to the apartment. I had splurged on a couple of gifts for Robert, which I wrapped and tucked under the tree, waiting for him when he got back.

However, it was New Year's Eve and Robert still wasn't home. Emily and I had been invited to House's annual New Year's gathering, which came as a shock to me because I thought he hated me. It was around seven o'clock when I invited Emily over to my apartment so we could get ready together. The party wasn't a formal affair per-say, but it also wasn't a bum fest. Nurses and doctors throughout PPTH had been whispering about the party for some days now, but Emily and I were just invited yesterday.

I was finishing wringing out my wet hair when the doorbell rang. "Coming!" I called, wrapping my hair in a towel and walking towards the door.

"Why hello good looking," Emily chuckled, surveying my current outfit of a bathrobe and towel-turban adorned on my head.

I rolled my eyes jokingly and stepped aside so she could enter. "Come on, we don't have a lot of time. Do you want anything to drink?" I asked, entering the kitchen and rummaging through the fridge.

I turned to Emily, only to see that she wasn't there. I sighed and shut the fridge door. I unwrapped my towel-turban and shook out my hair, still unfamiliar with the short cut. After Christmas, Emily and I spent a day at the spa. While we were there, Emily convinced me to get a haircut… and change my hair color to a pale blonde. My hair used to reach the length of my spine and be a natural brown, so the change was a bit of a shock. I still stopped to look in mirror whenever I saw my reflection, trying to get used to my new look. I had wanted to do something different with my hair for quite some time, and with Emily's encouragement, I decided to do something for me and went for it. I was eager to see what Robert thought of it, but would have to wait a few more days to see his response.

"Well there you are. I thought we had to get ready," she teased as I stepped into my room.

Emily had pulled on a black bodycon dress featuring a twisted, plunging bust line and low back; she looked smoking hot. I opted for a colorblock bodycon dress. The top was black and the skirt was a blush color. What really pulled the dress together was the plunging V neckline that accentuated my chest nicely. I pulled my robe off and slipped my dress on while Emily was working on her makeup in the bathroom. I shook out my hair and reached for my makeup bag and went to join Emily in the bathroom.

"Damn you look great," she whistled once I scooted next to her in the bathroom.

"Right back at you. You look hot," I chuckled.

"Gale said he's coming the party tonight," she said casually.

"Hmm," I said nonchalantly, sweeping my eyeliner across my top left lid. "Is this the Gale that had the flu?"

"The very same."

I finished applying eyeliner to my other lid and began to work on the rest of my face. I had just finished up when my phone began to buzz, Robert's name flashing across the screen. I motioned to Emily that I had to take this as I stepped out of the bathroom and walked into the hall.

"Hello?"

"Hey babe. How are you?" Robert asked on the other line. He sounded exhausted.

"I'm good. Emily and I were just about to head out to House's party," I replied.

"Hmm that sounds good," he said in a distracted tone. "Eliza-" he began. My heart sunk. "I'm going to be here for longer than I thought."

I sighed and pinched the bridge of my nose. "How much longer?"

"Another week, maybe longer."

I leaned against the wall and put my head in my hands. _Another week?_ I didn't want him to know how anxious I was to see him, so I swallowed my feelings and spoke into the phone. "Okay, that's fine. I hope everything's going well," I said quietly.

"As well as could be expected. My dad passed yesterday," he said, his voice changing from disappointed to emotionless.

"Oh Robert, I'm so sorry," I gushed into the phone, wanting nothing more than to be there to comfort him. Emily poked her head of the bathroom and asked if something was wrong. I shook my head and focused back in on the conversation on the phone.

There was silence on the other end for a moment until Robert spoke up. "I've got to go. I love you," he said before hanging up the phone, not giving me a chance to say anything.

My heart lurched at his words, a smile breaking onto my face. The circumstances were less than ideal, but I felt comforted all the same. My smile slipped off my face shortly after it appeared, realizing that Robert wouldn't be home for another week. I rejoined Emily back in the bathroom and continued to get ready.

/

"Eliza! It's so good to see you!" Cameron gushed, rushing forward to embrace me.

"Hi Allison," I wheezed as she squeezed me tightly.

"Oh sorry," she chuckled, releasing me from her tight embrace. "How've things been?"

"They've been pretty good," I replied, my eyes scanning the ever-growing amount of people for Emily and Gale.

"Where's Robert?" She asked a little too loudly, due to the copious amount of alcohol she had consumed.

"Oh, he, um, couldn't make it tonight," I said with a shrug of my shoulders.

"Well then who are you going to kiss at midnight?" She joked, taking a sip form her drink.

"Me, myself, and I," I said with a small smile. "If you'll excuse me," I said, weaving around her to go talk with House.

Maybe it was all the alcohol I had drunk, or maybe it was because it was weighing on my conscious, but I felt that I needed to talk with House about why he really fired me. I knew there was no chance of getting rehired, but I wanted to know the real reason he kicked me off the team, if there was an actual reason. I spotted him cuddling up to Cuddy in a corner of his living room. My stomach churned uneasily as I walked closer to them.

"Hi," I greeted cautiously, my eyes flickering between House and Cuddy.

"Eliza! Good to see you. How was your holiday?" Cuddy asked, turning away from House to face me.

"It was nice, pretty quiet though," I replied with a small smile.

"That's sounds nice. Oh, is that Wilson waving me over? I'll see you two later," Cuddy said quickly, leaving House and I alone.

It was awkward to say the least. I twiddled my thumbs and shuffled my feet nervously, waiting for House to say something. He downed the rest of his drink and set it on his shelf before speaking. "Eliza."

"I just-why did you fire me?" I sputtered, not really sure what to say.

"I already told you why," he said, though not unkindly. "You didn't fit in the dynamic of the team."

"Okay, I can accept that," I said firmly.

"Is that it? Wow that was easy," he said, wiping away nonexistent sweat form his forehead.

"Thank you for giving me this opportunity, even though you were kind of a dick."

He raised his eyebrows. "Was a dick? I'm the biggest dick there is, and have it too," he said with a wry smile.

I shut my eyes in disgust. "I really didn't need to see that image."

"Oh come on, Cuddy sees it all the time." I tried not to gag. "So you're working in the ER now?" He asked, actually sounding interested. This was probably the most civil conversation we have ever had.

"Yeah, I'm finishing up my rotation there and then heading to the OBGYN," I said with mock enthusiasm.

"What's your dear wombat up to nowadays?"

"He's working with me in the ER until he finds something more permanent," I said on confusion. _Since when has House been interested in Robert and I's life?_ I took a sip of champagne.

"I want you back on the team."

I sputtered, House watching with a look of amusement as I tried not to choke. Once the liquid was cleared from my airway, I gave him an incredulous look. "What?"

House shifted uncomfortably. "You're a pain in my ass, but you're smart. Cameron and Foreman have been slacking recently and we need some creativity. It's like working with white bread for Christ sake."

I crossed my arms. "I thought you just said I wasn't right for the team."

"I changed by mind," he fired back. "Don't make me change it again."

"Okay," I said, raising my hands in defeat. "I want to get paid."

House looked at me like I had grown two heads. "What?"

"I want a paycheck at the end of the month like everyone else."

His eyes flickered to Cuddy and then back to me. "Fine."

I gave him a nod and stuck my hand out for him to shake. He shook his head, but grabbed my hand anyways and shook it firmly. A hand wrapped around my arm and tugged me away from House, leaving him alone, waiting for Cuddy to come back over.

"What?" I hissed at Emily, who raised an eyebrow. "I was negotiating with House."

"Negotiating?" She asked in confusion. "About what?"

"He gave me back a spot on the team, plus a paycheck," I said smugly.

"Eliza that's great!" Emily said enthusiastically. "By the way, I have someone you need to meet."

Emily waved her hand, indicating for a man to walk over to us. My jaw almost dropped to the ground as he approached us. He was fairly tall, well built, and had strikingly blue eyes.

"Nice to meet you, I'm Gale." The man said, sticking out his hand for me to shake it. _And he's Australian._

"I'm Eliza," I grinned, shaking his hand. "Emily's told me so much about you."

"Oh has she?" He asked with a grin revealing a row of sparkling white teeth. He turned to face Emily who was blushing profusely. "Only good things I hope."

"Of course," I said with a teasing smile. I wouldn't mention the story she told of her and Gale going at it in the Barnes & Noble bathroom. "So you're a lawyer?"

"Soon-to-be lawyer," Gale corrected with a smile. "I actually take my bar examination in a couple of weeks."

I glanced at a dreamy-looking Emily; I hadn't seen her look at a guy like that in a long time. "Well now I know who to call in case I get into any trouble," I joked, eliciting a smile from Emily.

"So where's this elusive Robert that Emily speaks so highly of?" Gale asked, his eyes scanning the room.

"Believe it or not, my boyfriend is actually back home in Sydney right now," I responded, taking a sip from my glass of champagne.

"Sydney, eh? I was born right outside of Sydney," he replied.

"Is that so? I have a feeling you and Robert will really hit it off; he's a huge All Blacks fan," I chuckled.

"I have a feeling that this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship," he smiled, wrapping an arm around my shoulders.

"Oh! The countdown's about to start!" Emily squealed, latching onto Gale's arm and tugging him towards her.

I murmured a goodbye and hurried to grab another glass of champagne. This wouldn't be my first New Year's without a kiss, but I still felt lonely as I watched all of the couples and strangers begin to search for their significant others.

"Ten, nine, eight-" the crowd started cheering. I downed my entire glass of champagne before setting it down and wiping my mouth with the back of my hand. "Seven, six, five, four-" Suddenly I was spinning towards someone, latching onto their arms so I wouldn't fall over. "Three, two, one!"

"Happy New Year's, love," Robert said before capturing my lips with his.


	17. Chapter 17

I shut my eyes and sighed into the kiss, moving my hands up his arms until they rested on his shoulders, and eventually my arms around his neck. My hands found their way into his hair, and I was surprised to find there was a lot less of it. I could tell he was adjusting to my new hairstyle as well, his hand skating up my back until his fingertips skirted against the bottom of my hair.

I heard people cheering and celebrating in the background, but all I could focus on was that Robert was here and finally with me. He tugged on my bottom lip as I smiled into the kiss, eventually pulling away much to Robert's dismay. I rested my forehead against his, trying to regain my breath as he let out a breathy chuckle.

"Miss me, huh?"

I pulled away and smiled, my fingers automatically moving to his face. Confusion flickered across his features as I ran my fingers over his cheeks and over his lips, testing to see if he was real and here. I held his face in my hands, his hands coming up to rest over mine.

"You're here," I breathed.

"Surprised?" He asked, grinning.

"I thought you were supposed to be gone for another week," I stated, taking our pair of hands and intertwining our fingers.

"I got home early," he replied, a hint of amusement in his voice. "And I'm glad I was able to make it home in time to see you in this dress," he whispered in my ear, causing a shiver of pleasure to run through my body.

"You look different," I murmured, unlacing my fingers with his so I could get a better look at him.

He looked like he had just landed from a twenty-hour flight. He was sporting a pink plaid button up, a gray sport coat and gray pants to match, all rumpled from the flight of course. He was also tanner and his hair was much shorter, his blonde locks gone. I frowned when I saw the bags under his eyes, showing that he was exhausted. While I was looking at him, he also used this time to survey my new looks.

"You look amazing," he said, running his fingers through my hair. "I like this blonde."

I pressed my lips to his palm before stepping and grabbing his hand in mine. "Let's get out of here," I said, tugging him through the crowd and towards the door.

I had driven Emily to the party, but the glance I stole of her and Gale was indication enough that she wouldn't need a ride home tonight. I fished my keys out of my purse and quickly unlocked my Jeep, jumping in and cranking the heat. I had consumed three glasses of champagne that night, but I felt safer driving Robert and I home, due to the fact that Robert was already asleep and leaning against the window. I smiled to myself as I drove us home, only stopping to wake Robert when we arrived at the apartment. As soon as we stepped inside, Robert went straight for the bedroom. I rolled my eyes and slipped off my heels before following him. Robert changed out of his suit and into pajama pants and an old t-shirt as I slipped out of my dress. I grabbed one of Robert's huge flannels from the closet and slipped it on.

I made a beeline for the bathroom to wash the makeup off my face, moaning in pleasure once everything was rubbed off and my face was clean again; I didn't even bother taking out my various earrings as I slipped into bed. Robert joined me shortly after, wrapping an arm around my waist and tangling our legs together. His hand snaked its way up my shirt like it always did, and I sighed in content as he nestled into the crook of my neck.

"I love you," he said, stifling a yawn.

"I love you too," I replied with a smile.

We laid in silence for a while. I could tell Robert wasn't asleep yet, his breathing was uneven and he continued to tense and relax the hand resting on my stomach. I rolled onto my side and brushed his temple with my fingertips. His eyes remained shut as I continued to trace around his eyes and lips. I was itching to ask Robert about his trip and what had happened, but I knew that conversation would have to wait until morning. Slowly, Robert's breaths became more even and his body relaxed, signaling he was asleep. I was surprised that he was able to sleep at all, given the innumerable time change he was going through. Then again, Robert could sleep anywhere, anytime.

He tightened his grip on me as I snuggled into his chest, closing my eyes shortly after and drifting off.

/

Sunlight was horrible, especially when it was piercing my eyes this early in the morning. I forgot to close the shades all the way last night, resulting in a single, bright ray of sunshine right in my face. Robert was still dozing as I slipped out of bed and shut the shades, sighing in content as the room was once again shrouded in darkness. My eyes flickered to the clock on my nightstand, the time reading 9:46. I thanked my lucky stars that Karen offered to cover my shift this morning in the ER, as I climbed back into bed. I shut my eyes and tried to fall back asleep to no avail. I lay still for a few moments before making the executive decision to get up and make coffee.

For the second time that morning I slipped out of bed and exited our room, heading straight for the kitchen and to the coffee maker. Once the steaming liquid began to pour into the coffee pot, I rummaged through the bread drawer and threw two pieced of bread into the toaster. I drummed my fingers on the counter as my breakfast cooked and I waited for Robert to wake up. It had begun to storm in the time it took me to walk to the kitchen. The sky was a murky gray, releasing white flakes, which landed and stuck to the ground, much to my dismay. I enjoyed snow the first days of winter, but grew to dislike it as the season progressed. I was too busy watching the swirling snowflakes to notice that Robert had finally woken up and joined me in the kitchen.

"G'morning," he said sleepily, leaving against the counter and stifling a yawn.

I moved from my spot by the window to stand in front of Robert. He pulled me into his arms and I tucked my head underneath his chin, enjoying the feeling of him tracing patterns on my spine. I missed this, just being held and not having to worry about anything. Robert pressed a kiss to the crown of my head before releasing me and moving towards the toaster, snagging my breakfast.

"Heyyyy," I whined, snatching the last piece out of the toaster and wrinkling my nose.

I made my way over to the table and sat, watching Robert fix he and me cups of coffee. I murmured a 'thanks' and gratefully accepted the steaming liquid. We sat, taking sips of coffee and eating our toast, reveling in the silence. I placed my hand on Robert's and ran my fingers over his knuckles, encouraging him to talk.

"So I got in to Sydney," he began, his voice faltering slightly. "I met my dad's lawyer at the airport and we talked about money stuff, you know. After that I went to the hospital to see him. He had known about his cancer for three months. Three fucking months and he told me a week before he passed." I scooted my chair closer to the table, my hand moving from his hand to run up and down his arm. "It was miserable, the whole situation was bullshit. He told me he was sorry for being such a shitty dad, how he wasn't there for me. Three days later, he died."

I could see Robert's eyes glisten, and I was out of my chair in an instant, walking around to him. I had never seen Robert really show any emotion like this; he wasn't one to cry over trivial things like I was. I couldn't even imagine what he was going through right now: pain, guilt, and anger. As gently as I could without disturbing him, I situated myself on his lap and cradled his head to my chest. His arms wrapped around me, and I was reminded of a child crying to their mother or father. He didn't sob, but I heard the occasional sniff and felt my shirt dampen. I whispered words of comfort to him and ran my hands down his shoulders and back. After what seemed like hours but turned out to be minutes, Robert pulled away, his eyes red and watery. He gave an embarrassed smile and wiped at his eyes, only to be stopped by my fingers gently brushing over his cheeks.

"I'm sorry," he said sheepishly.

I sighed. "Don't be sorry, you have nothing to be sorry about. You did everything you could in the time you were given."

"It's not just that," he said quietly, casting his eyes away from me and toward the window. "I'm all that's left, I have no one else. I guess it's really just hitting me now."

"Robert," I said firmly, placing my hands on either side of his face, forcing him to look at me. "You have me; I'm your family. You have Emily, Foreman, Cameron, hell even House! We all care about you, and it may be small and imperfect, but I love you."

For the first time that morning he smiled, a real, full on Robert smile. His smile was contagious as I felt my face pull up, a small laugh escaping my lips. I leaned down and pressed my lips against his, sighing in content when his tongue touched mine. I pulled away much too soon for Robert's liking, but continued to press kisses to his lips as I smiled.

"I have your gifts under the tree," I giggled, nodding my head towards the scraggy tree.

I shifted so he was able to get up and walk over, holding his hand out for me to follow. I grasped my mug and settled on the couch, tucking my legs underneath me as I watched Robert pick up a neatly wrapped package. He carefully tore the wrapping paper off as I smiled into my coffee.

He held up the gift and turned to look at me. "You like it?" I asked, a grin on my face. "Now you can get rid of one of the ugly ones."

He opened his mouth to protest, but closed it, knowing I would make him throw out one of his old ties anyways. It wasn't a secret that I wasn't a fan of his ties. They were all mismatched and ranged from mud brown to checkered gray with red umbrellas; out with the old and in with the knew.

I ushered for him to open another gift as he set his new tie on the coffee table. He went for the larger one, leaving a single envelope left under the tree. Again he tore off the wrapping paper to reveal a book.

"Wow, _Advancing the Technology of Bileaflet Mechanical Heart Valves._ How'd you know I always wanted this?" He teased, thumbing through the pages.

I set my mug on the table. "It's a rainy day read."

He looked up at me in amusement before putting the book down. He reached for the final gift as I felt my stomach flutter nervously. He opened the envelope and pulled out the card inside, his eyes widening as he read. After he finished reading, he proceeded to open and close his mouth several times, his eyes raking over my body hungrily. I felt the heat rise to my cheeks as he calmly tucked the card back in the envelope and stood up, his hard-on very apparent. I knew exactly what I was doing as I wrote the card, thinking back to the pricey lingerie Emily forced me to buy awhile back. However at this moment, I was under-caffeinated and icky looking, so with a quick kiss, I promised Robert I would be back shortly and to make himself comfortable.

I scurried to our room and threw the door shut; rushing over to my drawer and throwing it open, searching frantically. I felt myself begin to panic when I realized the lingerie was nowhere to be found. I was beginning to second-guess my gift as I pulled the flannel over my head and looked for something to wear. I was set to do wash tomorrow, so all of my nice panties and bras were dirty, so I definitely wasn't going to wear those for Robert. I face-palmed when I realized I would have to wear my everything-is-dirty-so-this-is-my-emergency-bra, a plain black thing that I'm sure was a size too small. I slipped it on and groaned when I looked in the mirror; definitely too small. However, I didn't want to keep Robert waiting any longer, so I slipped on a pair of black panties I found at the bottom of my drawer. I checked myself out in the mirror as I hurried out of the room.

Robert was still sitting where I told him to, and his attention focused on me as soon as I walked through the doorway. I knew I looked ridiculous, but tried anyways to put on my best seductive face. I made it halfway to Robert before I stopped and put my head in my hands, laughing at how stupid I probably looked. I peeked through my fingers to see Robert, who was also laughing at this point. Our eyes met and I laughed harder, only stopping when Robert walked up to me and put his hands on my waist.

He smiled sheepishly. "Not what you had in mind?"

"Not even close," I replied once I regained my composure, shivering as Robert's thumbs traced my hipbones. "Oh! I forgot something," I squeaked, turning sharply and running back to the room, only to return swinging a pair of fluffy handcuffs around my finger.

It was Robert's turn to be embarrassed as he put his head in his hands and laughed. "Oh my god."


	18. Chapter 18

"Everything looks good here Mrs. Baker. You should be all set to leave by tomorrow," I told the old woman with a smile. I hung her chart on the front of the bed and left the room.

The hospital was quiet today. Maybe it was because it was a Thursday evening, or maybe it was because of the huge snowstorm raging outside. The weather service had issued a blizzard warning an hour earlier, resulting in a giant rush to leave the hospital. Cuddy had given the OK for the staff to leave if they had to, but of course, House asked me to stay. Despite the fact that we were set to discharge our patient tomorrow, he claimed it was "vital" for me to remain at the hospital. I was already on thin ice with House, so I agreed, my one condition being that I got next Friday off for the Children's Pancreatic Cancer Gala. I never got to hear his response, but here I was anyways, strolling the hallways, the storm raging outside.

I made my way to the office and was surprised to see Robert. He was sitting at the large glass table, a book in one hand, and a scowl on his face. I watched him for a moment before making my way over to him, and sitting down in the seat opposite. He glanced up from his book for a moment, offering me a share of his scowl.

"Something wrong?" I prodded, resting my head on my hands and leaning towards him.

He mumbled something incoherent, bringing the book closer to his face. I caught a glimpse of the title, my eyes widening in surprise.

"ABS?" I questioned, raising an eyebrow.

He looked up at me, closed the book, and sighed. "It was going to be a surprise."

My heart started beating more quickly. "A surprise? Robert, what are you talking about?"

"I took the exam on Monday. I was going to tell you tonight, I swear," he said quietly.

"Tell me what?"

"Eliza, I passed."

My mind was whirling. _Robert passed the ABS examination? Why didn't he tell me he was taking it?_

"You passed?" I repeated, still not sure I heard correctly. "You passed the ABS exam?"

This time, Robert couldn't help but grin. "I did it. I'm officially a board certified surgeon."

It felt like my heart was going to burst with happiness. _Robert, a surgeon?_ Seeing the grin on Robert's face made my lips turn up; I thought my face was going to break by how hard I was smiling. I pushed away from the table and walked around to Robert, grasping his face in my hands and pressing my lips to his. I could feel Robert smile into the kiss, eliciting a giggle from me.

"I'm so proud of you," I murmured against his lips.

He pulled away, placing one hand over mine. "I couldn't have done it without you." I gave him a questioning look, earning a sigh. "You've been with me through thick and thin; you're my support. You're my everything."

I felt my cheeks flush with pleasure. I leaned in once more and brushed my lips against his. "I love you."

"I love you too."

/

"Eliza, help me with this," Robert said in exasperation, flinging his bowtie towards me.

I rolled my eyes and marched over to him, grabbing the fabric and slinging it around his neck. I stood on my tiptoes as I fastened the knot, my tongue poking out of my mouth in concentration. Once I was satisfied with my work, I patted Robert on the chest and moved back to the mirror to finish my makeup.

"I don't know why we have to dress so nicely for this thing anyways," I heard him mutter as he walked into the closet.

"Oh don't be so bitter. You're getting a recognition speech tonight," I called as I swiped mascara onto my eyelashes.

Tonight was the Children's Pancreatic Cancer Gala, and Robert and I were invited to attend, along with the rest of the team. Despite my agreement with House about attending the event and staying at the hospital during the snowstorm, Cuddy promised me entrance no matter what House said. With that in mind, I had left the hospital with Robert, later going home to show him just how proud I was of him for passing his ABS exam.

The memory made my cheeks flush as I smiled sheepishly at myself in the mirror. We still had forty-five minutes until the event started, so I had plenty of time to finish getting ready. My gown was hanging in the back of the closet, hopefully out of sigh of Robert. Emily had offered to help me search for a dress, but I decided I wanted my pick to be a surprise for everyone. I touched up the last of my makeup and made my way over to the closet, spotting a disgruntled Robert.

"Babe have you seen my shoes?" He asked, scanning the shelves whilst moving various objects around.

"I think they're in the kitchen," I replied, not really sure where they were, but wanting Robert to leave so I could change.

He shrugged and exited the closet, leaving me about thirty seconds before he came back. As quickly as I could, I shoved my clothes aside and yanked the gown from its hanger. I hurriedly unbuttoned my flannel, letting it drop to the ground as I slipped the gown on. I managed to zip the dress myself (I'm still not sure how), and smoothed the fabric once I was satisfied. I looked down at the dress and grinned; it was just as beautiful as the day I picked it up.

By some miracle I had managed to snag a gorgeous Alice + Olivia gown in the color and size I was looking for. It was a red lace dress, a large diamond cut in the back and a trumpet silhouette. As soon as I pinned my hair up and found my shoes, I would be ready to go. No sooner had I shut the closet door than Robert appeared, shoes on his feet.

"How do I look?" He asked, moving in front of me.

Now I had seen Robert wear a lot of things, ranging from blizzard ready apparel to nothing at all, but him in a tuxedo was definitely one of my favorite looks. He looked like he came straight out of a fucking magazine with his well-fitted navy suit, rugged three-day-old stubble, and dazzling blue eyes, with a smile to boot. I clenched my hands in order to keep myself from ripping off his tux and ditching the Gala.

"You look-um-great," I stammered, immediately fixating my eyes to the floor as he inched closer.

"You don't scrub up so bad yourself. That dress is killer," he said, his voice lowering slightly. He placed a finger under my chin, forcing me to look at him. "I'd like to see it off later."

My muscles clenched with pleasure at his words. His hands slowly travelled down my sides, the enjoyment of my squirming clearly shown in his smirk. Once his hands settled on my hips, I gripped his lapels and fastened my lips to his. I could feel his grip on my waist tighten as my hands trailed down his chest. However, Robert was quick and grabbed my wrists, halting me from my final destination.

"I thought we had to leave," he said breathlessly. I groaned in exasperation and dropped my head to his chest. He chuckled and brought a hand to my back. "Come on, let's go."

/

The hospital was extravagant. The main entryway had been transformed: twinkling lights were strewn across the ceiling, the quiet sound of a harp playing in the background, and the ominous glow of the moon reflecting against the snow added to the softly illuminated room.

Robert clasped my hand in his and pulled me along, occasionally stopping when someone offered his or her congratulation at his recent achievement. I stood by patiently, my hand still enclosed in Robert's. After talking to an eighth person, I could tell he was getting a little antsy. I gave his hand a gentle squeeze and murmured that I would be back shortly.

I made my over to the open bar in hopes of swiping two glasses of champagne. I was feet from my destination when I felt a cold hand latch onto my arm. I turned abruptly, putting my hand to my chest in relief upon seeing who it was.

"Jesus, Emily! You scared me," I said breathlessly.

She shrugged, releasing her grip on my arm. "Damn you look great."

Now it was my turn to shrug as I looked down at my dress. Compared to the leggy blond goddess that was Emily, I looked fine. She was wearing an elegant one-shoulder black gown, simple yet stunning, almost as if she weren't trying to look gorgeous.

"Is Gale here?" I asked, wagging my eyebrows as a shy smile appeared on her face.

"Yes. I left him to talk with Eric, so he should be fine for now," she teased, turning to point at the two men talking. "So I heard the news," she said, suddenly serious. "Why didn't you tell me Chase was looking into surgery?"

My lips dipped into a slight frown, my eyes scanning the crowd for the subject of our conversation. "He didn't exactly tell me," I replied. "He only told me last week."

"You don't find that a little odd?" She piqued, obviously wanting to know what I thought about the whole situation.

"I mean, of course it's strange, but he's been working really hard for this and wanted it to be a surprise." I said nonchalantly, scooting away from her and back towards the bar.

"Yeah I guess you're right. I think Gale and I might move in together soon."

I sputtered my champagne, Emily quickly coming to my aid with a pat on the back. "Wow Em, that's great. Have you two been talking about it?" I asked once I regained my composure.

She shifted uncomfortably. "He doesn't exactly know..."

"He doesn't know? What do you mean?" I asked, confusion flashing across my features.

"I haven't brought it up to him yet. Don't give me that look! I was planning on talking to him tonight about it," she said, referencing my eyes narrowing at her.

"Make sure you do. You don't want it to be a one-sided thing," I said. Emily nodded in agreement, her eyes flickering behind me.

"Don't look now, but House is coming," she said quietly, stepping to the side so he could stand in front of me.

"Evening ladies. What a great night for free booze and gorgeous girls," House said dryly.

"I'll leave you to it," Emily said. She gave House a nod and disappeared behind me.

"Wow she was smoking hot. Was she one of your hooker friends?" House asked whilst he made no attempt to hide the fact he was checking her out.

"No she's not a hooker, and she's very taken for your information," I smirked, taking a sip of my beverage.

"So?"

"Look House, she's not into you," I deadpanned.

"Not yet," he added, earning an eye roll from me. "So, Chase is officially a surgeon."

"Indeed he is," I replied, trying to turn the awkwardness away from the conversation. I never enjoyed talking to House about Robert, due to the fact he would constantly make sexual innuendos and ask how good he was in bed.

House must've sensed the hesitance in my voice, so he thankfully changed the subject. "Nice job on the fulminant myocarditis case by the way."

I was taken aback. "Thanks," I replied hesitantly.

"That is when you weren't screwing up the tests."

I narrowed my eyes. "Is there something I can help you with?"

House snatched the glass of champagne out of hand and finished it in one gulp, placing it on a table. "Actually yes. Get a drink with me."

I opened and closed my mouth, not sure how to respond. However, I never got the chance to turn House down due to a man stepping in between him and me. He was pretty average looking: middle-aged, rumpled suit, and a pair of thick black-framed glasses taking up most of his face. The only thing that put me on edge was that he wouldn't take one hand out of is pocket and the murderous look in his eyes.

"You're the bastard that killed my daughter," the man hissed angrily, taking a step towards House.

"Not me, sorry. Must have the wrong guy," House said easily.

"I sure as hell don't have the wrong guy. You're Doctor House," the man said acidly, reaching further into his pocket.

I could see House's eyes flicker with uneasiness as he glimpsed at the man's pocket. "Who was your daughter? I don't have time to get to know all of my damn patients," House snapped.

The man pulled something out of his pocket and thrust it into House's abdomen, careful to conceal it from the other partygoers. I felt my mouth go dry and my palms start to sweat when I realized the man was holding a gun.

"Don't you ever talk about her like that. You killed my Rachel, and now you're going to pay." The man said, his voice wavering slightly. I heard the gun click.

"Eliza, go."

I looked desperately at House, my eyes widening in realization. He nodded, gesturing for me to go stand by Robert in the far corner. I stepped to my left and tried to walk away as calmly as I could. Suddenly I heard a bang and jumped around to look at House. The estranged man was on the ground, House hovering about him, the gun in his hand. I breathed a sigh of relief and locked eyes with House. A deep look of what I thought to be guilt passed over his face as his eyes moved to look me up and down. I furrowed my brow in confusion, looking down to what House was so interested in.

I know it sounds stupid now, but at that moment, the thing I was worried about the most were the stains on my dress.

I touched my hand to the stain and pulled it back, shocked to see what appeared to be blood. I was confused; there was blood but I didn't feel anything. My vision became fuzzy as I staggered, my hand instantly trying to cover my wound. Blood oozed between my fingers as I sank to my knees. I heard someone yell and people running, but was mostly unaware of what was going on around me. I suddenly felt very tired, and wanted nothing more that to sleep. I began to feel a dull ache in my side that slowly grew more intense. I shut my eyes and clenched my teeth to keep from yelling out in pain.

More people were running now, to where I'm not sure, but they were all so loud. More yelling, someone screaming. The pain was overwhelming at that point as I pushed harder into my side, trying to do something, anything to stop the pain. All I wanted to do was sleep as my eyes began to droop. I felt someone pulling me down, my head resting on something soft as something began to gently pull my hands away.

"Robert?" I mumbled sleepily, my hands reaching for his.

"Shh don't talk now Eliza," he said, his voice dripping with fear. He grasped one of my hands while the other pressed to my side.

I cried out in pain as he dug his finger into the hole, trying to find what had been hit. He whispered words of apology as he dug further, tears leaking out of my eyes. He stopped abruptly, swearing under his breath as he removed his finger and once again pressed his hand to the wound. I heard him mumble "liver" and knew immediately what had happened. At this point, staying awake was the most difficult task. My eyes closed briefly, opening when I felt something wet grasp my face.

"Baby, you have to stay awake. Eliza, look at me."

I whimpered. My vision went dark again and my hearing became muffled. I felt the grip on my face tighten and someone begin to shake me. This time when I opened my eyes, I saw Robert hovering over me, his hands brushing back the hair from my face. He was covered in blood, his face etched with concern as his eyes flickered from my face to my torso.

"I want to go home," I whispered in fear, before I shut my eyes again.


	19. Chapter 19

My hand itched. Not some normal itch, but an irritating itch like a mosquito bite scratched one too many times. I flexed my fingers to try and determine the source of the itching to no avail. I tried to make a fist and winced in pain, the sharp sensation of the IV in my hand making its presence known. I relaxed my hand and wiggled my toes next. Everything seemed to be working, so I opened my eyes. To my relief, the lights were turned off; the only light was the one ray of sun coming in through the crack in the blinds. I blinked to try and gain my bearings. I was in a hospital room, that much was clear. I closed my eyes again, too tired to do much of anything.

"I think she's waking up. Eliza? Sweetheart its mom."

I blinked a few times, trying to adjust my eyes to the newly illuminated room. I craned my neck and met my mom's eyes. Her eyes filled suddenly, her hand reaching out to grasp mine.

"Oh Eliza. How're you feeling?" My mom asked, her hand still clutching mine.

"Fine," I rasped, wincing at the sound of my voice.

"Honey we were so worried. I came as soon as I could."

It clicked in my head. Why my mother was here, why I was in the hospital; I got shot. My hand instinctively moved to my wound, a large wad of gauze protecting the area under my hospital gown. As if on cue, my incision started to ache, a teeth gritting, cry silently kind of ache. I gasped and shut my eyes, hoping for some relief.

"Eliza? What's wrong?" My mom asked, worry in her voice.

I felt around for a morphine drip but found nothing. "Mom? Can you go get my doctor?" I said through gritted teeth.

"Of course. I'll be right back," she said, releasing my hand and scurrying out of the room.

What felt like hours but turned out to be moments later, I heard my mom followed by another person. My eyes flickered open when I felt a hand begin to pull up my hospital gown to inspect the wound. I breathed a silent sigh of relief when their fingers brushed against the skin on my abdomen.

"Robert," I said, my voice barely above a whisper.

His eyes moved from the bandage to meet mine, his face pinched with tension. From what I could tell, he probably wasn't feeling any better than me, except that he hadn't gotten shot. His eyes were bloodshot, showing his lack of sleep, accompanied by what appeared to be five-day-old stubble. He was dressed in a pair of scrubs, which I found odd, until I remembered that he was probably on call right now.

His fingers lingered on my skin a moment longer before he removed them. "You're bleeding through your bandage so I'm going to have to change it," he said, his voice lacking emotion.

I tried sitting up, but ended up wincing in pain once again. "Robert? What's wrong?"

"Lie down or you're going to pull a stitch," he commanded, grabbing a roll of gauze and some tape.

Doing as I was told, I lied down. He slowly peeled away the old gauze, careful not to irritate one of the ten stitches in my torso. I looked at his face the entire time he changed my bandage, but his eyes never moved from my wound. His eyes flickered briefly to mine when my mom's chair scraped against the ground.

"Mom?" I asked, turning so I could look at her. "Could you get me some coffee from the cafeteria?" I said innocently, knowing very well I couldn't drink coffee.

"Sure, anything else?" She asked as she stood up and moved towards the door.

I shook my head and she nodded in reply, walking out and sliding the glass door shut. I turned expectantly to Robert, waiting for him to say whatever it was he had on his mind. It was silent for a few moments, Robert opening and closing his mouth as if he were going to say something.

"Do you know how scared I was?" He asked eventually, his voice no longer devoid of emotion. "You could've died and I was too busy talking to another fucking doctor."

I frowned. "Robert, there's nothing you could've done. This is in no way your fault."

He slumped into the plastic chair next to my bed, putting his head in his hands. "You could've died." He mumbled.

I scooted as far over as I could and placed my hand between his shoulders, running my hand along them in an effort to comfort him. "I'm fine."

Robert's head snapped up, startling me so much that I pulled my hand away. "Fine? Eliza, you got shot."

It was my turn to frown. "I did, but its over with. It happened and I'm fine."

"I don't know what I would have done if I lost you," he said quietly, his hands finding mine.

My heart fluttered as I lightly squeezed his hand, my fingers tracing over his knuckles.

"When do I get to leave this dump?" I asked, my tone light in an attempt to clear the mood.

Robert pulled his hand away so he could grasp the chart at the end of my bed. He scanned the pages and smiled slightly. "Today, actually. You've been out cold for three days."

I furrowed my brow. "Three days? Jesus I need to shower."

"Ha, I'm sure you're fine, no grosser than usual," Robert teased. I wrinkled my nose.

"When's your shift over?"

Robert put my chart back and sat down on the bed again, the bed creaking in response. "Whenever. I've been taking extra shifts so I could stay here with you."

I felt my cheeks grow warm at the thought of Robert being so caring. He really was one of a kind. I leaned up and wrapped my arms around him, pressing my lips to his temple. "Thank you," I whispered.

"Okay, gently, gently!"

I landed with a thud on our bed, freshly showered and ready to take a nap. It was currently 5:46 PM and I had been home for officially one hour and thirty-seven minutes. As soon as we got home, Robert literally carrying me over the threshold, I practically begged for a shower. Let me tell you, showering when you're not able to stand up is not an easy task.

After wrestling with the cord of the shower and knocking down some bottles, I managed to scrub the hospital scuzz off my skin. I felt like a child when Robert wrapped me up in a towel and rubbed me dry.

So here I was, clean and sleepy with my awesome boyfriend making me a grilled cheese. I really was living the dream, except that I had recently been shot. I flipped on the TV and popped two pain pills, ready to fall into a dreamless slumber. I closed my eyes and inhaled deeply; I missed home a lot more than I thought. I must've closed my eyes for longer than I realized, because by the time I woke up, there was a cold grilled cheese on the nightstand next to me, and a sleeping Robert next to me.

I blinked the sleep from my eyes looked over to Robert. He was snoring softly, his arms wrapped around a pillow, and looking more peaceful than I had seen him in a long time.

On the car ride home, I convinced him to take tomorrow off and catch up on sleep. Plus I would be bored out of my skull not being able to move from bed and I needed someone to keep me company.

My eyes drifted away from Robert and to my grilled cheese. I shamelessly ate the entire sandwich, despite the fact that it was chilled from the AC. I didn't like clutter, and the plate on the nightstand was serious clutter, so my hazy-pain killer- thoughts told me that doing dishes at 4:30 in the morning was a good idea. Despite the fact that I wasn't really supposed to be walking around and doing things, I clambered out of bed and into the kitchen.

It was a slow process, but I did wash the plate and load the dishwasher; all in a night's time. Unfortunately, my high did not last much longer as I suddenly became overwhelmed with dizziness. I sunk down and put my head between my legs, the most practical thing to do at a time like this. I pinched my eyes shut and willed the swaying to stop. It didn't.

I felt a pit in my stomach and knew immediately I was going to be sick. Unfortunately I was too dizzy and too sickly to hobble to the bathroom, so my grilled cheese made a reappearance on the kitchen floor and my shirt. Awesome. Fuck me.

The dizziness slowly began to ebb away until the room stopped spinning. I whimpered in annoyance and frustration. I didn't want to wake Robert because there was no reason for him to help me; I could clean up my own mess.

Avoiding the mess on the ground, I grappled for the counter and hoisted myself up, getting lightheaded on the way up. I took a deep breath and looked around the kitchen for something I could clean up with. I spotted a rag on the handle of the sink and made a move for it. My stomach dropped again and I leaned over, getting sick on a new part of the floor. _ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME?!_

I wiped my mouth on the back of my hand and yelled, "God fucking dammit!" If that didn't wake Robert up, I don't think anything would've. I felt myself tear up in frustration, as well at the searing pain of my stitches and my raw throat. I heard a crash followed by quick footsteps.

In walked Robert, rubbing his eyes, his hair going in every direction. "Whathappened?" He slurred sleepily, his eyes taking in the damage that I had done. "Babe what happened?"

He stepped forward but my hand flew up, signaling for him to stop. "I can clean it up," I sniffed, finally grabbing the rag and tossing it on the ground. "Can you get me some bleach?"

I'm glad Robert was no longer sensitive to vomit, as any of my other boyfriends would have been completely horrified at the scene in front of them. He ran a hand through his hair and sighed. "Get back into bed, I'll clean this up."

I got down on the ground and began to clean up, taking my vomit-covered shirt off in the process and throwing it to the side. "I said I can do it."

"Eliza stop." Robert said, walking over to me and kneeling down. "Let me do it, go get yourself cleaned up." I ignored him and scrubbed harder. He grasped my arm, forcing me to stop cleaning.

"Just let me do this, I can clean up my own messes," I snapped, my frustration finally getting the better of me.

Don't get me wrong, I did like to be taken care of, but I didn't like to be babied. I could certainly clean up my own messes; I had been cleaning them up my entire life. I just felt so weak in that moment, a feeling I didn't enjoy. I needed to do this, so I could prove to myself that even if something extremely shitty like this happened, I could still fix it. I know Robert didn't understand, but he let me clean, watching silently.

Once I scrubbed the entire floor clean, I finally let Robert scoop me up and bring me back to bed. I was so tired that at this point, I didn't care that he was literally dressing me, pulling my arms through the holes of one of his t-shirts; I was overwhelmingly tired again. Once he finished dressing me to his satisfaction, he kissed my forehead and then my lips. He tucked me in and clambered back over to his side.

I scooted closer to him and nudged him to put his arms around me. As if on cue, he wrapped me up in his embrace and we fell asleep like that. I don't think I've ever had a better sleep than that.


	20. Chapter 20

Hi everyone! I'm so so so sorry I haven't posted in literally almost a year. I have been so busy with life that I haven't had much time to write. I'm sorry for the short update, but I wanted to give you guys something. Enjoy!

/

"I'm sorry if this brings back any unpleasant memories, but we need to get this incident report filed and then this will all be a memory."

I drummed my fingers on my lap as I looked up at the woman sitting across the desk from me, looking like she was having just as much fun as me. I uncrossed and crossed my legs again before responding. "What do you need to know?"

She slid her glasses on and hovered her fingers over her keyboard. "I just need to know if your work environment has changed significantly and how this has affected your residency."

"You're talking about the fact that I work for Doctor House on top of my residency?" I asked crisply. "My residency is hard, but I'm a hard worker and have been able to balance both work and school." I replied. "I've been doing different rotations with different doctors throughout the hospital on top of being apart of House's team. I'm still a resident, but I'm moving to California at the end of the year.

A lot happened in the past six months: I got shot, I passed my oral boards, and I had recently accepted a fellowship at Stanford for oncology. I would be leaving New Jersey for sunny California in just three months. Until then, I was posted in the ER and working on a new case for House.

So here I am, filing an incident report on how I got shot, and if it caused me any emotional damage. The only emotional damage I was feeling was the need to hit House over the head with a brick. He might be my boss, but he was still irksome and nosey.

"Is there anything else you need?" I asked, making a move to stand up. "I have patients I need to see."

The woman scribbled something quickly and looked up. "Not for right now, but I will give you a call if I have anymore questions."

With that I stood up and left the room, my footsteps the only sound in the empty hallway. It was just past 5pm and most of the staff had gone home for the night, save for several nurses and me. I just needed to administer one more dose of Amphotericin B, check on some lab work, and then I would be free to go.

I turned the corner and immediately regretted my decision when I saw Doctor House coming towards me. I resisted the urge to roll my eyes as I walked past him, not so much as earning a glimpse of acknowledgement from him. I released a breath I didn't know I had been holding as I made it to the elevator. The door began to slide closed, but suddenly stalled, a black cane blocking its path.

"Someone's up late."

I looked up, my lips tugging into a frown. "It's only 5, House. Not everyone sleeps during the day like you."

He pulled his cane out from the door and got in the elevator with me, pressing "3" as the doors slid shut. "You can go home now. Cameron is here checking on another patient, she'll do the lab work too."

I ached to go home after work today, but I wouldn't let Cameron do my work for me.

"I'll do it." I said, stepping off the elevator.

"You're not getting paid overtime!" House called as I walked away and the elevator shut again.

/

I finished my lab and patient work quickly and now found myself unlocking the door to the apartment. The flicked the lights on as I discarded my shoes and bag. Robert was in surgery right now so he wouldn't be home until later. I pulled leftovers out of the fridge, popped them in the microwave, and proceeded to have a lovely dinner on my couch.

I couldn't believe I was actually going to California in just two short months. My life had gone from zero to one hundred in a matter of months. Emily would be going to the University of Washington for her fellowship; my best friend would be away from me for the first time. I hadn't even thought about what Robert and I would do. It had seemed so far off until now. We freely talked about the fellowship and the excitement of it all, but actively avoided the subject of us being separated. I honestly didn't know what would happen to Robert and I. We had been dating for almost 10 months now, but what did that matter when I would be moving across the country? I knew we could make it past the distance, but it would be difficult.

I was pulled out of my thoughts when I heard the familiar click of the front door being unlocked. Robert came in moments later, lugging a box behind him. I stood up and walked over, curious as to what he had brought home.

"Old patient files," he said, reading my mind. "What's for dinner?"

"Leftovers," I replied, joining Robert in the kitchen.

He made his way over to the sink to wash his hand and I followed, wrapping my arms around his waist form behind. I placed a kiss on his back before resting my head there. He let me hold him for a moment before turning to face me, his arms encircling me now. He bent down and pressed his lips to mine. I stood on my tiptoes and added more force to the kiss. He scooped me up and placed me on the counter, my legs pulling him close to me. I could feel his hand were still wet as he wove them in my hair. I parted my lips slightly and he took full advantage. I sighed into the kiss, loving every second of it. He planted one more kiss on my lips before pulling away. I was breathless and ready to keep going.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

Before I knew it I was being carried to our room. Our clothes were quickly shed before getting into bed. I reconnected my lips to Robert's and groaned when I felt him enter me.

When it was over, I was bone tired. I wanted to shower and then pass out until my alarm went off at 6 the next morning. I planted a kiss on Robert's chest, walked into the bathroom, and stepped into the shower, savoring the feeling of the warm water cascading over me.

I showered quickly, slipped into bed, and sighed deeply. Robert was gone when I got out of the shower and back into our room, working I assumed. The clock on the nightstand said it was only 8:46. Was I really about to go to bed before 9:00? Absolutely.

/

The clock glowed 2:34 when I heard Robert enter the room. I had passed out hard, only to wake up around 2:00. I had been trying to fall back asleep for the past half an hour to no avail. Maybe Robert getting here would lull me back to sleep, I always slept better with him next to me. He slipped under the covers and enveloped me in his arms giving me a squeeze.

I rolled over to face him, still surrounded by his arms. "Good morning," I said quietly, earning a smile from him.

"I can't believe I was up this late again," he said sleepily, his eyes closing momentarily.

I scooted closer to him so our bodies were touching. "You work too hard."

"Says the woman who works a full time job while in her residency." He said with an eye roll. "But you never cease to amaze me, so I'm really not surprised."

I pressed my lips to his softly. "What're we going to do in two months?"

He tightened his grip on me momentarily before relaxing. "I don't know baby."

I sighed. We needed to talk about this, but it could wait until another time. Robert brushed his thumb across my cheek and kissed me. "I do have something that might make it easier though," he said.

In one swift movement he rolled on top of me, his weight resting on his forearms. His nose brushed against mine. "Marry me."

What?

"Robert," I breathed, the air forced out of my lungs.

"Marry me. I love you and want to be with you for the rest of my life," He said, his eyes peering into mine.

"We've only been dating for 10 months!" I squeaked.

He smiled. "I knew I wanted to marry you when I came over for Thanksgiving last year. You were so intent on making everything perfect for me, despite the fact that you can barely cook and you weren't wearing pants. It was that moment that I knew I needed you to be mine. My perfect, scatterbrained, wonderful, best friend."

I thought my heart was going to burst out of my chest. Here was the man I loved telling me that he wanted to marry me. This was crazy. This was insane. But I wanted to marry him too.

"Robert I-" I began, but he pressed his lips to mine before I could finish.

"You don't have to give me an answer now, just think about it," He whispered against my lips.

I placed my hands on his face and kissed him forcefully. "Yes, I don't need to think about it."

His smile was so big I thought it was going to split his face in half. He kissed me once more and rolled off of me. He went to the dresser and began digging around in one of the drawers. I sat up and cocked my head to the side in confusion. He returned moments later and prompted me to scoot to the edge of the bed. He got down on one knee and opened up a small black box, revealing a simple silver ring.

"Eliza, will you do me the honor of being my wife?" He asked.

"Yes. Yes yes yes," I gushed as he stood up and slid the ring on my finger.

He picked me up and enveloped me in his arms. He pulled back and captured my lips in his. "My fiancée," he whispered against them.


End file.
